Why Are We Here?

Life is an interesting thing to ponder. Not only the lives of human beings, but animals as well.

What is it that drives us to go on day after day?

Animals have an instinct for survival, they really don't sit and wonder why they are here. They live day to day eating, drinking, breeding and fighting without really giving it much thought.

People, on the other hand, go beyond instincts. Perhaps it is our intelligence that has helped us cope with questioning our place on this planet, or allowed us to create mental shields to prevent insanity to creep in if we do.

When civilization was young we had the ability to wonder why we were here, but no knowledge to answer such a cosmic question. As humans formed into groups to enhance their chance of survival, there had to be pressure for their leaders to explain the mysteries of life.

Science was way out of the grasp of these ancient wisemen, yet they needed an answer for their followers.

Enter religion.

The leaders of the ancient cultures came up with the only answers they could, they made stuff up. Tales abound throughout history of all manner of gods, goddesses, and other spiritial beings in an effort by man to explain the unexplainable.

These stories were told for so long that they were believed to be true. After all, the wisemen and leaders of mankind would not lie to their people.

We now know that the Sun and the Moon do not rise and fall at the whim of the gods. Our weather is not controlled by sacrafices, and people do not get sick because the spirits are angry.

Many of you who are with me so far are about to tune me out, get upset, and maybe even stop reading.

People have been under the influence of religion for so long and believe in these stories so strongly that they are willing to kill, and die, for these creations of ancient man.

We no longer fear the biological events that once demanded an explanation, yet society still cannot accept the fact that human beings are in control of their own lives and nothing more.

It seems to me that the next logical step is for people to realize that there is no supreme being guiding their lives and determining their destiny. This is already starting to happen.

Unfortunately, before many people will arrive at what to me is an obvious conclusion, they will bounce around to other religions trying to discover something that is not there.

If you're still reading and have not ran away screaming "Blasphemere!", then at the very least you are thinking I don't know what I'm talking about.

I think your anger and denial is preventing you from seeing the truth in what I say. Think about your belief system and compare it to all the other religions of the world, old and new. Can you say with a clear conscience that your belief is the only true one and all the rest are made up?

Why then are we here on this planet if not for some divine purpose? Alien experiments I tell you!

We're here because that is how we evolved, nothing more, nothing less. We just happen to be a species that was lucky enough to make it to a position near the top of the food chain. It's our intelect that got us where we are today, just like it was our intelect that helped us cope with scary questions thousands of years ago.

Since we are no longer afraid of the dark, it's time more of you step into the light and drop silly superstitions.

Let's Talk Turkey

It’s a Thanksgiving day tradition where we sit around the table with friends and family, say a prayer, give thanks for many things, then devour a poor little animal that was cruelly raised, abused, pumped full of chemicals, shackled upside down, then unceremoniously slaughtered so that we can gorge ourselves on its flesh.

I enjoy nature. Nothing makes me happier then watching a covey of quail come to my backyard feeder, or seeing a family of deer as they wander through the neighborhood. When it comes to wiping out nature, I’m all for its protection.

As much as I love the natural world around me, there is another side of me that has a functioning brain. God, or nature, designed our bodies to be omnivorous. This means that we are biologically created to eat both meat and plants. Now I understand that some folks don’t have a firm grasp on this concept, or merely choose to ignore it, but regardless of your feelings for little critters, they are below us on the food chain.

Some people take the eating of animals too seriously. They see the family pet and think how could anybody eat another little defenseless animal. The reality of life is that we eat animals. We eat fish, cattle, chicken, and a variety of other Earthly fauna. It’s what we were meant to do. It is how we were engineered. More importantly, it is how we survive on this planet.

Seeing how animals are raised for slaughter is not a pretty sight. These visions are brought to you by those who feel that the poor turkeys are not given the opportunity to live happy full family lives out in a green field in utopia U.S.A. The hard cold fact is that for the amount of animals that we consume yearly there isn’t enough room, or at the least it would be cost prohibitive, to give them all their own acre of land to live on.

Animals that are raised strictly for food do lead crummy lives. I imagine it sucks royally to be raised for food, but it’s their purpose for living. They are bred, so that we can survive. Sort of all comes back once again to the whole survival of the fittest argument. On the food chain of life, turkeys will be eaten. If we do not consume them, then a whole variety of other animals will line up at the banquet table in our place.

There is a reason that calling someone a turkey is insulting. Being a turkey is not something to be proud of. You exist so that others can eat you. Pigs have the same social issue. It saddens me to see slaughterhouses, and to see what animals that are being raised for food must endure. In the end, I realize that it is being done this way for a purpose. The purpose of feeding us humans, after all as I have stated before, we are near the top of the food chain.

This Thanksgiving why not say a special thank you to the turkey you are about to eat. Native Americans always thank the animal they are going to eat, for giving up its life to sustain theirs. If it sort of bothers you to eat animals, then try giving some recognition to the animals’ plight. Thank them for being a part of your celebration, and let them know that their death is appreciated.

A COLUMN FOR SOPHIE, THE TOBACCO BUSTER

[The following article is reprinted with permission from Bob Lonsberry. More great articles by Bob can be found at his website at www.lonsberry.com Thanks Bob!]

This column is for my daughter Sophie.

She is 10, a fifth-grader, and a Tobacco Buster. That's what her T-shirt said yesterday. Tobacco Buster. She and some others wore them as they trouped from classroom to classroom in the elementary school, making a presentation about smoking.

She's learned about smoking in school and is very serious about it. I remember how that is. When I was her age, and younger, I was very serious about it myself.

I remember being about 7 and getting a lesson in school about the dangers of smoking and the number of years it would take off one's life. I went home afterward and made some calculations and took them to my mother.

I told her when she would die, and how old I would be, and how afraid that made me, and how I wished she would stop smoking.

She laughed and told me not to worry and kept on smoking.

Then and for years to follow. After the nodes came and her voice went raspy and the hacking, phlegmy, nearly passing-out coughing fits took hold of her and she had to lift the nasal canula out of the way to light her cigarettes.

She's out on Greenwood Street now, a little lichen-scarred stone between her third and fourth husbands.

She's grama-in-the-picture-frame. An 8-by-10 smiling face unknown to or barely remembered by her grandchildren. Just like her father is a fleeting memory to me, a wheezing emphysemic with a cigarette and a cough, dead long before I was old enough to even know what a grandfather was.

My people drown in their own fluids, with blackened cancerous lungs and the stench of burnt tobacco in their hair.

My grandfather and my mother and my uncle and another uncle sick now and my brother with a canula of his own.

This column is for my daughter Sophie.

She is a Tobacco Buster and she takes it seriously. She is learning in the classroom what I hope she never has to see in person, the agony and terror of people who can't breathe, and the hurt of lives they leave empty by their absence.

Today is the Great American Smoke-out, or something like that. That gimmicky thing they do each year for people who have lost the instinct of self-preservation. A little plea to smokers to try for one day to suspend the slow suicide of their habit.

I admit I've kind of lost interest in it.

I've kind of given up hope. You can cry and plead and beg and argue and none of it does the slightest bit of good. They nod their heads and mouth platitudes about how they know it's bad for them but they just can't stop or they like it or how their grandfather smoked two packs a day and lived to be 92.

Blah-blah, blah blah blah.

Different person, same tired nonsense.

I've kind of given up hope.

But I am touched by Sophie's enthusiasm and faith. She and the others went from classroom to classroom with a simple and obvious message - don't touch the stove, it's hot. Don't do that, it will hurt. Don't smoke, you'll die.

And maybe the children listened.

Or maybe they went home and feared for their parents.

And maybe your heart is too shrouded by selfishness and cowardice for that to sink in. And maybe I don't care. Because if you don't give a damn about yourself, why should I?

Smoke and die for all I care. Better people than you have done it and the rest of us have gone on fine. We don't need you, we don't feel sorry for you, you're bringing it on yourself.

Screw you and your cigarettes.

If only you'd have the good graces to go off on an island somewhere and fight for breath alone, out of our earshot, where your slow-motion death isn't played out for your family to watch and cry over, a last token of your incomprehensible selfishness.

It's your life you end, but it's other people's lives you ruin. The ones whose misfortune it is to love a smoking idiot like you. You will put them through hell and leave them prematurely bereft and denied the birthright of family because you're too spineless to put down that freaking cigarette.

I don't pity you, I hold you in contempt.

And so, eventually, will your loved ones. When they realize what your smoking did to them and their children. We would hate someone who killed our parent, so what should we feel for parents who kill themselves?

Who become grama-in-the-picture-frame, a smiling 8-by-10 reminder that she loved cigarettes more than family, nicotine more than blood, habit more than home.

This column is for my daughter Sophie.

The one who is very serious about tobacco.

The one who is the spitting image of the grandmother she never knew.

- by Bob Lonsberry (c) 2003

Stupid Is, As Stupid Does

This morning while driving to work I was almost broadsided. Does anyone know what the little red upside down triangular traffic sign with the word “Yield” on it means?

Further along my extremely short journey to work I saw a pedestrian just about run over by the woman in front of me as they were strolling across the street while staring at the steady red, open-palm, facing them. Can someone tell me what that sign means? Now let’s not always see the same hands.

Is it my imagination, or is the world populated by idiots? Weren’t we all supposed to learn as children to read signs, look both ways before crossing the street, and oh yes, cross in a crosswalk and not 15 feet back up the street from the crosswalk. How many times have you seen people darting across a very busy street with a perfectly good crosswalk, and light-controlled intersection, just a few yards away?

As an added benefit at night, these walking fence posts dress all in dark colors, just in case there might be a chance of actually seeing them. I especially like the addition of bicycles so that it enhances their speed as they plunge across unlighted streets.

Here’s a little scenario that I see frequently as well. You’re driving down the freeway, cruising along on a nice sunny day, radio blasting out some soothing rock ‘n roll, you check your mirror, everything looks normal. Suddenly, you catch movement out of the corner of your eye in the same mirror you just checked and here comes some dip-zweeby on a motorcycle going 95 MPH wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and sandals, weaving in and out of the lanes like some Mario video game. Does anyone else wonder why motorcycle riders die easier then those of us in cars?

When I was living in Colorado, I was stunned to learn that when a left-turn light turns red, that means that at least six more cars can proceed to turn left in front of the on-coming traffic. People talk about the driving in California, but in Colorado they tend to mix a little dangerous in with their fast. All the sand on the streets during the winter just adds a touch of excitement as you glide around corners like you’re driving on marbles.

Have you ever looked at warnings on various items and wondered why they sounded so dumb? The reason that warning is there is that some grey-matter lacking gonzo tried to do what they are warning you about. Here are just a few examples.

"Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish." -- On a bottle of shampoo for dogs.

"For external use only!" -- On a curling iron.

"Warning: This product can burn eyes." -- On a curling iron.

"Do not use in shower." -- On a hair dryer.

"Do not use while sleeping." -- On a hair dryer.

"Do not drive with sunshield in place." -- On a cardboard sunshield that keeps the sun off the dashboard.

"Do not eat toner." -- On a toner cartridge for a laser printer.

"Do not use for drying pets." -- In the manual for a microwave oven.

"Do not use as ear plugs." -- On a package of silly putty.

"Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice." -- On a box of rat poison.

"Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage." -- On a portable stroller.

"Do not iron clothes on body." -- On packaging for a Rowenta iron.

"Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly." -- On a child sized Superman costume.

"Not for human consumption." -- On a package of dice.

"Do not dangle the mouse by its cable or throw the mouse at co-workers." -- From a manual for an SGI computer.

"This product not intended for use as a dental drill." -- On an electric rotary tool.

Well I think you get the basic idea. People are so sue happy these days that anytime some ninny does something completely unexpected, and for what the product was never intended, the manufacturer must then warn others to not attempt the same maneuver.

Personally, I say don’t warn these folks. Let’s get them out of the gene pool so that they don’t continue to breed. Sometimes it seems that attempting to save the cerebrally-challenged among us can only lead to further generations of people who just might use a garden hose internally.

Bye Bye Baby

I don’t know of any more debated subject then that of abortion. It’s a difficult topic, with emotions running high on both sides of the issue. Oh sure, each camp has a pile of information as to why they are correct. The major flaw with each position is that they come from a narrow minded viewpoint.

Does this mean my opinion is any less flawed? Hardly. This topic has been running through my mind for years. Every time I hear about it in the news, I start thinking about what I believe should be the right choice. The truth is, I have been waffling between both sides, and I’m probably still not sure what the best course of action is. I’m always up for a challenge though, so it’s time for me to climb down off the fence and tackle this subject head on.

Please don’t get the wrong idea when reading this article. I don’t pretend to have all of the answers, nor would I presume to tell you how you must believe this problem be resolved. In fact, after reading my views you may come out of this even more confused then you went in. So let’s get going and see where this takes us.

While contemplating this subject for the umpteenth time, I tried to get a feeling for how it could be broken down. Many complicated things can usually be broken down into more simplistic parts. After the simple parts are analyzed and understood, then they can be reassembled and hopefully we can then gain a better insight and conclusion for what we were so confused about in the first place.

The act of simplifying the various components of abortion is not meant to trivialize the subject in any way. This is not a flippant attempt to gain some sort of following on my way of thinking. I am not a leader of any cause, and I am certainly not a follower of any special interests. My goal is to try and come to grips with a battle that has divided the world, and try to see if I could help myself to better understand what was at stake in the answers.

I’d like to begin by answering the question of where life begins. After giving this only a brief moment of thought it was very apparent to me that life begins at the fertilization of an egg by the sperm. Isn’t it obvious to anyone that from that moment on there is a new life in the making? I’d really be curious to hear from anyone who does not agree with this view.

Just because the life is not physically recognizable as a baby, does not make it any less viable. The fact remains, that once fertilization has occurred, the new life is on an express ride to being a human being. Therefore, any termination of that life should be classified as killing that life.

It sickens me to think that people are trying to measure the amount a life has grown and judging at which stage it is considered a human. I’m sorry, but this seemed extremely basic to me, yet at times in the past I found myself listening to the other side of the argument like there was some scientific explanation at when a life was a life. In the end, no complicated smoke and mirrors are needed. Any person with a basic understanding of how babies are made can tell you when they become a life.

Now that we have the foundation of when life begins for a human being, lets move on to the actual act of when aborting that life is acceptable. While we’re at it, let’s remove the term abortion, and just call it what it is, murder.

Is murder too strong of a word for you? It even feels weird to write it, but if we accept the previous facts of when a life begins, then the ending of that life on purpose must be called murder. The term abortion seems like an attempt to make it sound like it’s a medical procedure rather then purposely killing a human being.

Keeping with the process of breaking things down to their simplest components, let’s say that there are two occasions when the murder of a fetus can take place as an abortion. These I like to call the “Oops”, and the “Uh-oh”.

The “Oops” thought process for the murder is for those occasions when a baby was not planned. This can be from a one-night stand, kids that are not yet adults, or even legally married people that accidentally slipped one past the goalie. Whatever the circumstances, these babies began life without their parents being able to foretell their coming.

Oops babies should never be murdered under any circumstance. No matter the embarrassment to religious circles from unwed mothers, the difficulties raising a child by a child, or the financial strain it might place on a family to have another child. In these cases, the fact is, you made the decision to have sex, and it’s time to take responsibility for that decision.

Sure an Oops baby can cause strain, be hard work to raise, or make stupid people talk about it behind your back. So what? Would these be grounds for murder? Gee, should we allow the killing of children if a family has to file for bankruptcy? Thin the herd so the rest of the family survives? Of course not, so why should we allow it early on?

If a family or mother truly cannot support, or mentally deal with, a new baby, then they should still have to carry it to term, look it in its helpless little eyes, then give it up for adoption if they still feel the need. There should be no question in these cases.

Now “Uh-oh” babies are a different story. This is where I am a little fuzzy on when an uh-oh baby comes along. I have heard that there are medical reasons that murdering the fetus is required, maybe to save the life of the mother, or that there is something seriously wrong with the fetus, like it will be born without a brain. To me, it sounds perfectly plausible that there are cases that must be treated medically for sound medical reasons. The same reasons that doctors make all of their decisions, to save a life or to prevent unnecessary suffering.

If you’re a regular reader of my articles, you probably are aware that I am a big fan of freedom. Although freedom is a great thing, it also comes at a price. Some people mistake the term freedom as meaning that they have the power to do anything they want, to whomever they want, and whenever they decide. This is not true. Freedom should be something that is granted as long as the granting of that freedom does not harm another human being. In the case of murdering unborn babies, you are not free to choose who lives and who dies.

Women in our country have incredible amounts of freedom. In fact, I’d say that the United States of America is probably one of the few countries that allow women almost any freedom they desire. Women can use birth control, vote, and pretty much pursue any career of their choosing. Sorry ladies, but I would be the first to stand in the way for the freedom for you to murder unborn babies.

I will concede that in some areas women still have difficult times, but they should realize that we all have trouble in some form or another in our society. Minority races, women, and even the proverbial white male all have areas where who they are can limit their access. Perfection will always be fleeting, but we continue to try.

So, should we look down upon women who have had abortions in the past as murderers? Certainly not! This subject has been so confusing for so long that I can’t even imagine having to make such a choice. I do think as a society we need to focus on treating it for what it is, and educating the masses as to why it is murder.

There is no freedom of choice issue, there is no religious versus atheism, or anything else here. We do not allow people to murder other people for any reason in this country, so the time has come to take a firm stand on this one. Of course, there is the death penalty, but let’s save that one for another time.

Finally, the old argument that women will just go into dark alleys to have it done is a lame one. People will also buy drugs, and murder people, this does not mean we legalize drugs and murder so it can be done in a more civilized manner. No matter how you slice it, abortions are murder. I’d love to hear an opposite opinion.

A Matter of Life and Death

It bothers me more then a little that someone is trying to kill Theresa “Terri” Schiavo in Florida, and the entire nation is watching like it’s some CSI drama. To me this case is cut and dry, and there should have been no reason that it ever went to court in the first place!

Why do I think this is such a simple case? Let me explain my position and see if you agree.

First of all, there is no written desire by Terri to back up the statements that her sleazy husband claims she said. If her husband no longer wants to take care of her, then why is he fighting her parents who do want to take care of her? Some speculate that it’s the money if she dies. Her husband can take an insurance benefit and be with this other woman he is now seeing and having children with.

He claims that he is doing this because it’s what Terri wanted, which seems a little confusing, because if she is truly in a state where she is not aware of anything, then why fight so hard to keep her from her parents? Let them take her and care for her if it is their wish.

I realize that some people do not want to be a burden to their family, and so choose to fill out written instructions on what should be done in case they can no longer make decisions for themselves. Terri had made no instructions of this sort. Furthermore, her parents are stepping up to the plate to offer to care for her, and to take on the burden to do so.

There should be an immediate release of this woman to her parents so that they can take care of their daughter. Instead, the courts agreed to remove her feeding tube and kill her based on some stupid legality. If someone wants to care for a disabled person, no matter how disabled they are, who in their right mind would deny them that opportunity?

This is why I feel that this husband has other motives. Or maybe he’s been fighting this battle for so long that he really believes this is what his wife would have wanted. Now he has turned this into a crusade to “win the day” come hell or high water.

No matter the reasons of her husband, Terri has some loving parents who want to care for their handicapped daughter. It would be a sin against humanity if they are not allowed to do just that. A court ordering a handicapped person to be starved to death just because her husband says so is wrong no matter how you view the facts. Whether or not Terri is aware of any of this is not the point.

The time has come for her husband to give up this fight, and get on with his new life. You’ve got to wonder what this new woman in his life is thinking watching this whole thing unfold. In situations like these it makes me wonder why people say the lines, “for better for worse, in sickness and in health, so long as we both shall live”.

Let Freedom Ring

Why did the early Americans break off from England? What was the reason for abolishing slavery? How did America become entangled in a civil war? Do we go to war for a purpose? Thousands have died throughout history for a higher purpose. All of these things boil down to one thing. Freedom.

We live in a great country. The United States of America is possibly the greatest country that has ever existed on Earth. What has been the number one banner Americans have always held in high esteem? Americans have always fought for freedom. Whether it has been our own freedom, or the freedom of others, we have led the charge throughout the globe in the name of freedom.

What exactly is freedom? You may have a clue as to what freedom means to me if you have been reading my blog these past few months. In my view, freedom has a simple definition. Freedom is the ability for anyone to do whatever they wish, unless it brings harm to another. I would also add that this harm could also take the form of indirect or even inaction.

An obvious example of purposeful harm would be the typical type such as murder, rape, and a variety of other physical abuses. Harm caused by inaction could be letting someone die of starvation when you could hand them a sandwich. Indirect harm can be things such as making illegal drugs. Even though you are not directly selling the drugs, or taking them, you are the cause of the drugs doing harm to others through your involvement in the chain of distribution.

Is my view of freedom too broad? Many seem to think that freedom is only freedom if it follows their belief system, or their laws, or their rules. Freedom, if it is to be true freedom, is the freedom for all, and for everything. To appreciate true freedom is to accept the view of others. If the entire world could be accepting of each others religious beliefs, most of our wars and killing would cease.

If, on the other hand, your religion involves the killing of those who don’t believe as you do, then you’re a disease to others on this planet. You are an infection that needs to be removed. This seems to be in conflict with freedom, unless you remember my definition. Part of that definition is to do no harm. If you are doing harm, then the truly free people have the right to defend themselves.

I’ll end this with a quote from a Star Trek movie. I’m not certain if the quote is from another source, but the message is clear.

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

The many choose to live in a free society, and are willing to tolerate each others beliefs. The few choose to kill those who do not believe as they do. It’s been said many times many ways…

You’re either with us, or against us. There is no middle road this time.

What do you think? Does my definition of freedom agree with yours? Why or why not?

Watering The Kids

Someone funnier then I once said of children, “We spend the first years of their life teaching them to walk and talk, then the rest of their lives telling them to sit down and shut up.”

My daughters are now 4, 7, and 10 years old. I spend a lot of time telling them to sit down and be quiet it seems. Recently, more time has been spent thinking about how fast life passes you by. You always hear older folks tell you that, but when you start to really sit and ponder the phenomenon it’s downright scary.

The whole John Ritter passing really made me think about how precious life is, and how we really don’t know when a life will be leaving our presence. Will I die before my wife? Will one of our children die in some freak accident? You just never know the answers to these questions, and so we move along with the hope that we will all live to a ripe old age.

Back to John Ritter. During one of the specials remembering his career, there was a scene from his last sitcom that showed him with his T.V. daughters.

They were getting in the family car and the oldest daughter was driving the youngest daughter someplace. John looked through the garage, past the car at a small bike hanging on the wall and flashed back to the time when he was teaching his oldest daughter how to ride her bike without training wheels. Now she was driving her sister out of the garage.

Call me a wimp, but I got pretty emotional thinking about my own daughters, two without training wheels already!

Kids grow up so fast it must be something in the water. After all, you water them, and they grow up.

My wife and I have recently started using one day on the weekend to spend time just doing family things. Miniature golfing, go-cart riding, or just hiking in the surrounding countryside.

Time is slipping by at a rapid pace. My 10 year old is talking about boyfriends, wearing a bra, and gabbing on the phone any chance we’ll let her. You can’t reign them in from all of this, but we sure try hard.

I’m constantly trying to educate my girls on life, and anything I can think of. I hope it will be enough. It seems that there is too much to teach them, so I stick to the basics, the foundation for what I hope will be there for sound decisions later.

I feel like I’m just winding up their springs, and soon I’ll have to let them go and watch what happens. Hopefully, if I have done things correctly, they will come back and ask Dad for advice when they need it, and stand firmly on their foundation I have helped to construct if I’m not around.

My parents were right. They grow up so fast…

Open Your Parachute

A picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes, a few words can also be worth a thousand words. I’m a believer in the K.I.S.S. concept, although many times find myself not following my own ideas or teachings. K.I.S.S. is an abbreviation for, “Keep it Simple Stupid”. Sometime keeping things simple can be very complicated.

Philosophy, for example, can be so complex that the mere thought of studying things will fry your brain. Yet philosophy, in some instances, can be summed up with simple statements. I submit to you that one such statement is one that I ran across years ago on the bottom of an email message.

“Your mind is like a parachute. It works best when open.” -- Matthias Ettrich

You see it’s the close-minded folks in our society that create most, if not all, of our problems. Close-minded people walk around complaining that the world somehow owes them something. You all have seen them everywhere. Standing in line in the DMV. Yelling at the ticket agent in the airport trying to get a refund on their non-refundable tickets. In traffic honking their horns as if this will somehow remove the wreck quicker five miles ahead of them. Or maybe they work with you every day and you have to listen to them complain about every single thing they can think of until you retire and escape.

These are the people who shoot the messenger. They’re the ones who beat the dogs and their children. And yes, they are even the ones who “go postal” at the drop of a hat. Some people are wrapped so tightly in their hatred and anger at society that they eventually snap under the pressure.

Where do these people go to find solace? How do they unwind, and release all of this pent up rage? Why they join groups of course.

If it’s a group of folks who are more civilized, and perhaps more wealthy, the groups can be things such as Boy Scouts, Mary Kay, Golf Clubs, and Unions. If they are athletic, or wish they were more athletic, the group may be something like Soccer, football, or the swim team. Where can you turn if you haven’t got money, or perhaps you’re just sick of all the other groups? You find a gang of people who are just as pissed as you, and start causing problems for other groups.

I’m not immune to this phenomenon. Scuba diving is my outlet, so I seek those who like to dive. At times I have also been a member of various sport groups, Boy Scouts, etc…

Sometimes, the groups help, sometimes they don’t. If you go to your particular group to unwind, and purge some of your rage into the comfort zone of your group, then the group idea is a good thing. On the other hand, if you go to your group to vent your anger and rage onto others, such as a gang or the KKK, then this is a poor group association.

Have you heard that you should choose your friends carefully? It’s true! Look around at your circle of friends. Do they do what you like, or are you just tagging along because it’s what you think is expected of you. I'll bet a large majority of you have not really taken a serious look at who you hang with?

I’m trying hard not to pick on the religious gangs in this writing, I tend to pick on them a lot, and I really am not a hostile person to their beliefs, just to their attitudes to those of us who do not believe as they do.

That being said, I’m always shocked at how many people go to church just in case this whole God thing turns out to be real. They are actually going to church, because they are afraid of what might happen to them if they don’t. Many folks I have spoken to reveal this same outlook. This is what I mean by a closed mind. Their parachute is wrapped so tight that they couldn’t open it even if they were plummeting to their death from 2000 feet!

My parachute is fully deployed, and I’m sailing blissfully through a clear blue sky!

I listen to all types of music, from Classical, to rap and everything in between. I study many different religions so that I can better understand the variety of beliefs that I may encounter in my daily life. I tip servers well, because even if the food sucked, many times the server was doing their best (not always), and they work hard for the tips. I never yell at the people stuck behind the counter at a thankless job. They get crap all day from the plummeting people, so I try to show them a smile as I float by.

When I get stuck in a traffic jam, I put on CD, or perhaps a book on CD, turn up the volume and enjoy the free time. I carry a book with me a lot as well, and if I have to wait for the dentist, I take out my book and get lost in an adventure. You may find me reading about alien abductions or Bigfoot (not necessarily believing in them). Sometimes my outlet is in the form of T.V. and movies. Some days I could be watching a National Geographic special, the news, or 7th Heaven. Movies I watch may be a “chick-flick”, a horror film, a cheesy sci-fi thriller, or you may find me having a good cry during a Disney film.

I don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs. Not because I have some hang up, but because it’s all bad for me. Anyone who has half a brain should realize that. Cuss words come out of my mouth way too often, and I need to work on that. I’m a junk food junkie, and my diet and weight are other areas due for an over haul. I know it, but I’m having a heck of a time trying to change. This is why if I know someone drinks, smokes, or does drugs, I feel sorry for them not being able to control themselves, I don’t preach to them (well, not much any way).

What’s the point of all of this rambling? It’s to get you to pull the ripcord on your chute! If you only listen to Country music, listen to a rock station for a month. If you are scared to not go to church, take the month reading about twenty other religions to see what they believe in (try to get out of your general religious focus. If you’re Christian, don’t just study various forms of Christianity. Read about Wicca, Buddha, Native Americans, etc…). If you are in a violent gang, try going to the YMCA and start playing basketball, instead of hanging with your buds. And the next time you get angry in traffic, or in a line, take a breath, and use the time to think pleasant thoughts such as going to your favorite place, or being with your favorite person.

I’d like to hear your comments on your own parachute trials. If you decide to pull your ripcord, I’d love to hear how your flight went!

Your chance is now. Stand up, hook up and jump out that door! Sail through the blue sky with me and feel the fresh air whistling on your face. And no matter what, keep that parachute open at all times!

Happy sailing,

The Grim Reaper

What happens to us when we die? This could be a really short commentary because nobody really knows for sure.

Christians will be the first to stand up and proclaim you go to heaven to meet JC and the boys. Some believe you will reincarnate into another life form. Still others think we merely leave our bodies as wisps of vapor and float around until we are called upon again to inhabit another baby.

What do I think? For once, I’m not certain. Oh, I have some theories. Those that know me are well aware that there is little I don’t have an opinion on. To be perfectly honest with you, I have no clue what happens to us when we depart for the happy hunting ground.

I’d like to think there was some happy place where we all go and get to rule over our own planet, or get a harem of a hundred of virgins. Then reality creeps into the picture and I think that when we die, we just…well…die.

When I finally cease to be a burden to my family I want to be cremated. I think the Native Americans had the right idea. What sense does it make to get placed into a box and buried six feet underground? So that others can come and look at the headstone and cry on your birthday? How silly is that?

My mother is upset that I don’t want to be buried, but I hope I outlive her so she won’t be too upset over the fact that I won’t be taking up residence among the critters of the underworld. I’m talking worms and beetles, not demons or devils. Instead, I will be burnt to ash, and perhaps dumped into the ocean to have my remains placed back into nature. Even in death, I wish to be of some use. No need to hang onto my ashes in an urn forever. What good will I be doing in there?

When we die, I’m betting that our soul, life force, or whatever it’s called, leaves our bodies and goes back into the mix. The Force if you will. From there who knows where we’ll end up. It would be cool to be aware of cruising around without a physical body, but I think we sort of loose most of our realization that we are even alive. Would we still be alive then? Hmmm, I wonder?

I truly hope that when we die, we’re all cognizant of the fact and can all meet again and have a huge gathering of friendly vapors. Since we’re not sure, let’s all live for the now. Be friendly and nice to all you know and encounter. After all, you could be stuck with them for all eternity!

Freedom of Bondage

[This was a reply to an article by Bob Lonsberry (8-12-03) on his site about getting government to make marraiges be only between a man and a woman.]

Although I do not approve of the gay life style, life choice, or whatever. I do believe this is still a free country. I served over 20 years in the Air Force to make sure it stayed that way!

When we talk about fighting for our rights and freedoms this country provides each of us, you all are the first to raise the patriotic cheer.

If there is a group trying to exercise their right to utilize that freedom you jump on the hypocrite wagon.

Christianity is not the only religion/belief system in America! Anyone have a problem with that or care to state that it is? Go ahead and show your stupidity!

That being said, I think Christians have every right to state that marriage is indeed their doctrine, and as such should be only between a man and a woman. Marriage is, after all, a Christian belief.

On the other hand, gays, or any other non-Christian person should also have every right to be bonded in any such similar form as they wish, and should be able to receive the same governmental privileges as those who are married in the Christian way.

This is not the United States of Christians! And I for one am getting really sick and tired of hearing how if you're not Christian, then you must be lower then whale crap.

I have one simple question for you "Christians". Do you truly love your fellow man, and treat them as you would have them treat you?

Most of what I read on these comments every day from people who call themselves Christians are one of the reasons I don't call myself that any more.

Zealots and fanatics can be found everywhere. I believe there is a passage that says, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone".

Go ahead, start flinging!

The New Journal

As you can see, this is the first entry of this blog that does not have at the end that it was written at another time and place.

I have decided to host my own journal so that I could control its "look and feel" a bit more, and I also found one that would allow you, the reader, to comment on my words.

The thought of typing out here in cyberspace without getting any feedback just seemed wrong. After all, why should you be subject to read my opinions, which will certainly strike a nerve in many of you, without giving you the same opportunity to strike back?

Please make a small attempt to keep your comments constructive. People will be more inclined to read well thought out replies instead of short, "you suck" type of comments. If you disagree, let me know exactly why. If you agree, I'd like to know that too!

There are times when I feel alone in my viewpoint of life in general. To me, many of my observations are so basic, yet it seems that nobody else is looking through the same eyes as me. Every once in a while, when I have the ability to discuss some of these topics with others, I'm heartened to discover that I'm not alone at all. It's just that we have been bred for so long not to question some things and folks are downright terrified to even bring up the subjects!

How often are we told not to discuss religion, sex, and a whole smattering of other topics, for fear we may offend someone else? Schools even practice this attitude, which is downright scary to me.

Keep reading here and we'll just throw it all out on the table for everyone to see. Comment if you'd like. Don't be afraid to spill your opinions and feelings out in the open for everyone to share. Heck, I've pretty much stripped naked and bore my soul here for all to read. Scary? You bet! It's nice to get it all out in the open though.

Come on in and join me!

Opinions

"Everybody's got one". You've heard this statement many times before. It's just as true for me, as it is for anyone.

My opinions are just that, opinions. Are they right? I doubt it. Will I change my mind about some of my opinions? Most assuredly, but this does not invalidate their existance, and the message or the meaning.


Why even put my opinions down for you all to read? I supose it fills a need for me to vent, or perhaps just to share my thoughts.

Am I open to hear your opinions about what I write? Absolutely! In fact, more often then not, I look forward to the opportunity to discover the thoughts and ideas of others.

What I dislike, is when others cannot reply with intelligent views. That's some of what I believe is wrong with many people these days. They're quick to criticize, but do so from an ignorant vantage point.

So please send me your comments about anything I write here, or even something new if you'd like. All I ask, is for it to be clear, concise, and well thought out.

Until next time,

Time

It’s depressing to think about time. In fact, the more time I spend thinking about time, the less time I then have to do other things.

There are so many sayings revolving around time, or the lack of it. It flies when you’re having fun, it waits for no man, it’s of the essence, it heals all wounds, and yet it continues to march on. If I could save time in a bottle, where would I keep it? Would it have an expiration date?

The older I get, the more I’m aware that the end of my time is speeding toward me. What drives us to continue on? Why do we struggle to learn new things, make new friends, and dream of retirement when we know that in the end, none of it matters!

My job is a daily reminder that there is not enough time in a day to get everything done. I find myself wanting more time to spend with my kids, my wife and all of my other family members and friends near and far.

I miss my grandparents, who’s time ran out a few years back, and I miss my dogs, who suffered the same fate of not enough time.

Modern medicine is helping us gain more time, but we can never truly win. In the end, your time is up! We’re getting more and more into cybernetics. Replacing body parts with mechanical parts. I wonder if we’ll reach the point of being able to sustain ourselves indefinitely, or until a rather nasty accident takes us out of the gene pool for good.

Should we pursue a life of immortality, or continue to try and prolong our existence. And to what end? I for one plan on doing what I can to live forever, but I’m certain that fate will have other ideas.

I’m trying to research my family history, for myself, and for my kids. It amazes me that time has moved so quickly that much of my family has now become utterly forgotten. Their contributions and lives on this little blue planet have fallen between the cracks.

One of my other projects is to get my thoughts down in written form, so that my family can at least read what was going on in my head here and now. Unfortunately, I seem to have little time to do this.

My daughters are growing up rapidly, my hair is turning grey, and my body sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies with my bones snapping, crackling, and popping. I still feel young, but physically the signs are beginning to show.

So why do we continue living? Working every day to make money that we know darn well is completely unnecessary in the afterlife. It’s a mystery to me.

I have given you all a precious amount of my life here just relaying my thoughts. Time possibly better spent doing other things. Yet I feel the need to share my existence with you all. To leave a mark on the world, no matter how small it is. And hopefully, you will not feel that I have wasted your time in reading my ramblings.

Thank you for spending a small portion of your time allotment reading this blog. Perhaps we’ll all get a good laugh at this entry when we’re 437 years old!

Don't Panic!

Literally, these are words to live by. In many situations where people die, or become injured, panic is often a factor. Those who can remain calm under stressful situations seem to have a better chance at survival then those who “freak out” at the drop of a hat.

Scuba diving is a sport better survived by those people who can remain calm during times of stress. Many diving accident victims are actually found with plenty of air in their tank, and no known malfunction of their equipment. The conclusion then, is that the person simply panicked and the result was deadly.

That being said, studies show that the sport of diving is equivalent in safety to bowling. I believe this is attributed to the fact that divers must take a course to learn the proper way to do the sport, and become certified before they can go it alone.

Here is an excerpt from my dive logbook from October 8th, 1981 at which time I found myself in a potentially bad predicament.

“Comments: This was my first combination night dive and lobster hunt. It was great. I got a 3# or 4# lobster, but during the measuring process it got loose. Oh well. My second catch was too tiny so I didn’t even try. My new light (Super QXL-Lite, by Underwater Kinetics) worked really well. This dive demonstrated the need for the diver training exercises you learn in class. At 35 feet down, the entire class was watching our instructor measure a lobster. When it was done, everyone turned one direction to continue on and my dive buddy, Tracy, accidentally fin-kicked me in the face. This knocked my mask loose and my regulator out of my mouth. Without being able to see, I reached around and got my regulator back with the sweeping movement that was taught in class. Now that I could breathe, I then began to reposition my mask and clear it of the water that had completely filled it up. After all of that, it took me a little while to locate, and catch up to, the rest of the class. After all, it was pitch black under the water. The way I located them was to turn off my light and look for the glow of someone else’s light. The dive ended well, but the potential for a panicked ascent was high. Remember, keep calm, regain breathing, then fix other problems...”

Last night I had another experience that those with claustrophobia may not wish to read about.

We were doing darkness and entanglement training at a local lake. Even though the visibility was about 6 inches to begin with, we also placed black covers over our masks to ensure we could not see a thing. My turn came, and I was headed out on the simulated search. When I arrived at a certain point, a safety diver “entangled” me in a rope. And I’ll have to admit, he did a great job getting me tied up!

Next, I gave the signal on the line that I needed assistance, and another diver (also blacked out) came down the line to assist. There the two of us remained, in the dark, and untangling the rope strictly by feeling where our equipment was, and where the rope was tangled up. Time seems like it goes by slowly when you’re trapped in the bottom of a lake in the dark.

Since I am here to relate the story, you know everything went well. I have been a part of training many dive students that this would have just sent them to a rubber room if they lived to tell about it. Night diving is not for everyone, and plenty of fun can be had diving in the daylight, in fairly shallow water with supervision. This is the type of diving you get on vacation at a resort for example.

As we go through life we rarely get to experience situations that call for us to summon our mental strength to survive. So far I am doing pretty well, but I try not to be overly confident because you never know when your limits will be stretched to the breaking point no matter who you are.

When someone has reached theirs, I hope the Water Rescue Team will be there to make sure they live to tell the tale to their grandkids!

Peace

Tonight I will know peace. Well, not total silence. The bubbles from my exhaust ports will be waffling past my ears as they make there way to the surface. Tonight will be a scuba dive into a local lake. Although this dive will be more work then relaxation, it will be bliss for me.

I am a member of a water rescue team, and tonight we’re doing darkness and entanglement training. It’s been too long since I have been under water, and I’m looking forward to once again slipping beneath the surface and leaving the rest of the world behind.

My dream has always been to go into space, and scuba diving is as close as I will probably ever come. Scuba diving lets you float weightless, but has so much more to offer then space. While under the water there are many things to see and do. Life is all around you, and you can watch fish, and other critters as they go about their lives wondering what the heck this big bubble-blowing monstrosity is watching them.

If you’ve never had the pleasure I would like to encourage you to go to your local PADI dive shop and ask for a small quickie class called, “Discover Scuba”. For one session you learn a little about scuba diving and get to breath under water in a pool. Trust me, even if you think it will be scary, or you’re not too comfortable in the water, it’s an experience you’ll always remember. You’re not signing up to become a certified diver, there are no dangerous fish in the pool, and it’s not very deep. Just go, and enjoy.

Diving at night is not for the faint of heart. There is no moon, or starlight under water to give you a little vision. When you turn off your light, it’s as dark as being in a room with no windows and no other light source. You cannot see your hand in front of your face! Why do it? Because it’s fun. There are few things in life that you can still do that a million other people aren’t doing right next to you. Night diving is one of those. Heck, diving in a lake in the Northwest is one of those…

So tonight I will know peace. I will enjoy my short time under the cool water listening to the bubbles, and letting the pressures of the surface drain away from me. When I surface once again, I will be refreshed, and ready to face another day.

Diversity And Tolerance

Why can’t we all just play nice together? It’s a nice concept, but unfortunately there is a bad element no matter where you go.

I think it’s great to maintain the memory, and honor, of your roots. Always teach your children where your family has come from, and how they got to where they are today. We label people based on their race, but this should not be the case. People should not be Native American, African American, Chinese American, etc… They should either be one or the other.

Personally, I welcome people of different backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures to America. Many different cultures have a lot to offer this “melting pot” and perhaps many more folks should be listening to what they have to say. When the choice is made by them to live in America, however, and choose to call this great country their home, then there should be some strings attached.

You are not Whatever-American, but American! We speak English here. Learn it! These two simple things would do a lot to straighten out some of our problems in this country. Just about any race of people, that’s right, even white folks, originally came to America because they where persecuted in their own country. I am not proud of the history of this country, with slavery, Japanese interment camps, stomping all over the Indian populations, etc… This is now my country, and the bickering has to stop.

No, you don’t have the right to be paid for past atrocities that happened to your family. It was unfortunate, but it happened. The easy statement, which has been uttered so often it sounds like a cliché, is “if you don’t like it here in America, leave”! Nobody is forcing you to stay here! Our biggest problem is that we try way too hard, bending over backwards, to coddle everyone and to make sure we don’t hurt anybody’s feelings.

Enough is enough. I like the bumper sticker I saw that said, “Get in, shut up, and hold on”. I would love that as our new country motto. Okay, so that’s maybe a bit too harsh, but you get the point. Come on in to America, we’d love to have you here, and we would love for you to share your culture with us. Teach us about your country, your customs and beliefs, and maybe some of your better customs will integrate within our existing system. Don’t you dare whine and demand that we have to accommodate you for any reason just because you came here from somewhere else.

Time and again I hear folks complain that they have no opportunity in this country. That’s B.S., because you become what you make of yourself. Any kid in this country can join the military, have a place to stay, get an education, and a paycheck. From this excellent jumping off point the sky is the limit! Nothing I have received is because I am white. It’s all because I applied myself while in the Air Force, finally got my Bachelor’s degree (only took me 20 years… heh heh heh), and got a great job when I retired.

I’m reminded of an old Mork and Mindy episode where Mork finds a carton of eggs in the refrigerator. He takes the carton and throws the eggs out of it into the air and yells, “Fly, and be free”! Needless-to-say, the eggs all splat on the kitchen counter, at which time Mork tells them, “How can I help you if you won’t help yourselves”?

Take responsibility for yourself. And if you choose to live a life of poverty and crime, there are consequences for that as well.

I’ll leave you with another great movie line (can you tell I grew up watching T.V and movies?). From the Star Wars movie “The Empire Strikes Back”, there was a scene in which Yoda (Jedi Master) is teaching Luke the ways of The Force. After Yoda explains what Luke must do Luke says, “I’ll try”. Yoda immediately comes back with a great line, “Do, or do not. There is no try…”

Make up your mind, then do it!

Relax

I’m easy going. Some say, too laid back. Pressure, stress, and all the things that go along with them seldom grace my psychological doorstep. This is a good thing, because working as a network administrator has, on more then a few occasions, reduced a person to a basket case. In current times, when technology is growing faster then my waistline, it’s hard to keep up with all of the software updates and hardware installs.

Some may say that I don’t care about anything. This is partially true. I would say it’s more like I tend not to worry about things as much as the more stressed in our society. There are concerns in my life, such as my daughters, wife, job, etc… It’s just that I don’t dwell on all of the “what ifs” that could go along with the responsibilities that I have.

The old television series, “Kung Fu”, was one of my favorites growing up. Not so much for the outstanding acting, or the fact that a white guy was playing a Chinese guy, but for the occasional spouts of wisdom that the master would tell the young apprentice, or that Cain would share with the audience.

In one episode, Cain was in this small home with a group of folks being tormented by that weeks evil doer’s. They were all freaking out that the bad guys were coming, and one of the women walked up to Cain and asked him something along the lines of, “Aren’t you worried?” Cain just calmly looked up at her and said, “If I worry, will that change the future?”

I found this one statement extremely profound. Worrying about something will not only not make it happen, but will cause you more stress-related physiological issues.

Another saying I picked up from a fellow Instructor while serving in the Air Force was one he relayed to his students when they started asking a lot of “what if” questions. He would ask them, “What if worms carried machine guns, would birds starve?” Although quite funny, I found it enlightening. Why should we “what if” our future to death? Who cares! Sit down, have a glass of lemonade, and enjoy the now. Do the best you can day-to-day, and handle whatever comes along when/if it shows up.

There are those in my life that are wound a bit too tightly. I try to talk to them, and really find out what is tightening their springs, but it’s not an easy task. Sometimes I can relieve some of their stresses, but many times it just seems like an up hill battle. If I had the ability to impart anything I knew to a person, I wish it were the ability to transfer my stress-relieving outlook on life.

People say don’t sweat the small stuff. I say, it’s all small stuff!

So if you’re a Dad, or even if you’re not, this weekend grab a cold drink, sit on a lounge chair in the backyard, and think about all the horribly stressful things in your life. Now, look at the sky, the clouds, some birds. Now think about those you love, and who make a difference in your life. Enjoy the fact that you know how small your stresses in life are compared to the big picture that is life. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy your family and friends, enjoy life!

After all, the problems can be looked at on Monday. Isn’t that what Mondays are for?