I gotta learn how to use the Droid X smart phone. It has gotten to
the point where it beeps, groans, burps, pings, sings, and gurgles at
all hours of the night. They are alerts from various programs wanting my
attention for some inane reason, mostly advertisements. The heck of it
is on many of them, I can’t disable the audible alert without removing
the program. Yahoo mail is one such and until a recent fix, Facebook was
another. It isn’t bad enough that I have to lay all night and listen to
Carolyn make every noise humanely possible while she sleeps, the phone
seems to want to either accompany her concerts or try to out do her. The
Tab is different; I’ve been able to control all it s aural rackets.
Hopefully on Monday I can call the orthopedic surgeon and make an
appointment for an exam and then, within a couple of weeks, have the
knee surgery. The foot wound hasn’t completely healed but the
replacement is going to have to go forward; I cannot stand much more.
Jeremy is using one of my photos on the back cover of his new album “DEAF” which will be released to retail next month. I am proud of that young man!
Today my favorite word is bookoo. Bookoo
means ‘a lot’ of something. On this blog, you get bookoos of bullshit.
Bookoo is a word that my friend Fred used often, in fact he used it
bookoos of times over the years I knew him. Bookoo and bookoos. Thank
you, Fred.
Sammy went to his first circus last evening; he didn’t make it all
the way through before deciding it was time for him to go home.
Cold and rainy here with snow showers promised for tonight. Looks
like Mark’s folks will be spared the brunt of Hurricane Sandy as it
moves inland along the Appalachian Ridge. Congress can legislate all
they want to but they cannot pass a law against global warming; it is
already a fact.
Yesterday was shot and errand day; today
Carolyn went to ophthalmologist for the first time. She had her eyes
dilated and now she is bitching because she can’t half see.
According to the weather man, the first real blast of winter is due here by Monday with below freezing temps.
Life’s three greatest pleasures:
Making love
Having my back scratched
Eating chocolate covered peanuts
Another movie you may consider watching is Hugo. It is nothing like Winter’s Bone
but it does tell a very good story and is a well made flick. I have the
Blu-Ray version and the panoramic views of Paris at night are
spectacular.
Independent voters in states like North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and
Virginia are in a bind. Even though many of them voted for Obama last
election, they don’t like his wimping out to Republicans and they would
like to vote third party. But the way our antiquated electoral system is
set up, any one of the voters in a few key states may decide whom will
be president. I wonder how it would make me feel to know my single third
party vote caused Romney to be elected president?
The photo is a different view than I’ve posted before of the store I
wrote about a few times in the blog. It was in easy walking distance of
where I was born and raised I spent a fortune (a fortune to a little boy
in the early 1950′s) in small change for candy, ice cream, and sodas
The store remained in business until the late 1950′s when my cousin
opened his own store/service station a bit closer to where I lived and
both buildings are still standing today. I would like to get inside this
one; I have a feeling there is a picker’s delight in there. Pic was
made on Oct. 23, 2008.
From what I saw and heard from last night’s presidential debate, Romney is endorsing many of Obama’s policies. MSNBC is claiming Obama won big in the exchanges between the candidates and Fox News is saying Romney didn’t lose any ground.
Sammy is still sick with a cold and now Carolyn and Chris are feeling bad. My nose is starting to run.
I watched a very good movie last evening; Winter’s Bone. It presents a decent view of life in the hills in modern times and has a darn good story, too.
I didn’t get out for autumn shooting this
past weekend; each thing in life has its own time and this wasn’t mine
for photography.
I used to love to watch a couple of semi-reality TV shows called American Pickers and Pawn Stars.
I’ve been trying to watch them more since we got the cable last month.
Both shows have evolved into soap operas which I hate; I want to see the
pawn merchandise and the pickers at work and not the drivel and bad
jokes between the celebrities. I now end up watching news and a movie
nearly every evening and then reading myself to bedtime.
Some movies I’ve watched lately:
Thor — didn’t like it
Transformers-Dark of the Moon — didn’t like it
Iron Man 2 — liked it a little bit
Captain America-The First Avenger — didn’t like it
Miller farmstead barn – Roan Mt. State Park, Tennessee
Megashot.net
is signing on new members at a decent and steady pace; there are now
more than five-thousand registered members. If the site’s FB pages are
included, there are many more. I still try to greet each new member on
their profile page and a couple of weeks ago we had a small surge in
members and I got behind on my greetings and I ended up with more than a
hundred to do, which I did. In the next day or so, Cyrus moved the site
files to different storage site and when I next checked, all my latest
greets were missing. Being the good boy that I am, I re-did all of them
and finally got caught up once more.
Sammy is on his way over for a few hours; he has a cold but I will do my best to entertain him.
Still hoping to get into the mountains this weekend; should be some
fine leaf shooting left but it will have to be done from the van
windows; I can handle it.
Canal and street in Delft, Holland Photo courtesy of Jola
Ever notice that American corporations are all for free trade
everywhere in the world except in the USA? In America, they fight hard
for monopolistic trade practices. Vying to be the one and only
manufacturer or seller of specific types of products is what is bringing
on the huge patent battles going on worldwide, and along with limited
brand suppliers setting prices, these patent lawsuits are driving prices
through the roof. Wake up America!
We are having mild days and cool nights; this weekend looks good for
shooting leaves in the mid-highlands like around the old Walnut Mt.
church I’ve shot so many times before. I didn’t make it up there last
year and I also missed shooting the Christmas tree farms; I hope for
redemption this weekend.
The Green Party presidential candidate and vice presidential
candidates both were arrested for trying to be parties to the
powers-that-be debate last night. They spent most of the night
handcuffed to chairs and were released this morning. It is the only way
they can get recognition at all from the press and very little publicity
goes to them.
Happy Birthday, Alice. Are your years weighing as heavily on your
shoulders as mine are for me? We got at least twenty more years to go.
I can remember when employees were considered as a company’s best assets; now they are treated like unwanted overhead.
I’ve about decided to drop my Netflix subscription and go with Amazon
Prime. Amazon doesn’t have as many movies but they have several for
streaming that Netflix doesn’t, such as L.A. Confidential, Logan’s Run, and
several others I like.Amazon is also a bit cheaper and has newer
releases which I can rent for a night or even buy for cloud storage at a
discount. I also get free two-day shipping on any merchandise I order
which is sold by Amazon store.
Carolyn finally decided to replace the weakening l.e.d. night-lite in
our bathroom. The night she did so, I woke up to an eerie blue glow
coming from that room which quickly turned red then to normal white.
She had bought one that changes color every two or three seconds. Next
morning I asked her where she was going to put the piano and of course
she didn’t know what I was talking about. I told her she had the
bathroom lit up like a whorehouse and all we needed to make it more real
was a piano player in one corner, a few girls, and that she would make a
great Madam. I also told her when the leaves fell and the window could
be seen from the railroad tracks, she should get some custom from the
train people. That night I noticed there was once more a plain, white
light in the bathroom. I think she got pissed because I said she would
be a good Madam instead of saying she should be one of the girls. I was
going to ask about spousal discounts but thought better of it.
Vice-presidential debate tonight; I hope Biden doesn’t roll up into a ball like his boss did last week.
Shot tomorrow; I missed a week hoping the lack of methotrexate would
help my foot wounds heal and it has worked. I don’t want to miss another
injection until surgery.
OK! Mom Nature, I’ve had enough of winter and am ready for a fresh breath of Springtime!
Time to get out the flannel sheets and heavier comforter. I suppose I should turn the heat on; Sammy is coming for the day.
When I was a kid, I loved this time of year … except for going to
school. Frosty days meant snow was soon on the way and snow meant days
off from books of knowledge. One winter in late 1950′s, we had deep
snowfalls three Saturdays straight and school was closed for more than
two weeks. Kids loved it and teachers loved it; parents hated it. Not
only could they not get out to go to work at times, we kids soon got on
their nerves. Most of us young’uns knew about how far we could push our
luck being under foot before the adults would explode. Most of us were
pretty good kids in pre-Christmas days away from school, but after the
new year began it became more snowy and it was open season on parent’s
nerves. We didn’t have snow make-up days before school began each year
and in bad winters it was mid June or later before we were paroled for
summer. The worst winters even brought Saturday sessions which of course
meant those particular days were always bright and warm while we toiled
behind our desks, adding to our misery. Some of the farm kids actually
liked school on Saturdays; it kept them from their hated weekend chores
at home. Most of us managed the discomforts of mandatory school, though
and graduated within a year or so of when we were supposed to.
Very cool weather; cloudy and damp. Carolyn is working today and I am
doing quarterly tax reports which I put off from yesterday.
Keegan is due back in mid-week for a short visit before being
transferred to the environs of Frankfurt, Germany. Jeremy is deep into
his music and I am looking for big things from him. Tabby is living
somewhere in North Carolina as far as we know. Sammy got three shots at
doctor visit and is not feeling well.
Mitt and Barack keep fooling most of the people most of the time. It
is a terrible thought that we will have the future of the USA and–to a
great extent–the well being of the entire free world in one of their
hands for another four years. A Romney Supreme Court should just about
finish undermining the constitution.
Seems like Obama wimped out again in the debate last evening. His
truth-spinners say he was just acting presidential; I say another
performance like that and he will permanently stop acting presidential
on January 20.
Carolyn has gone to take Ashley and Sammy to his doctor for his
checkup. To me, he looks to be a normal little boy. Hope he comes over
again today; he was here yesterday and the day before for a few hours.
Got some business taxes to do … have a great Thursday!
Five weeks from today until presidential election. Some polls have
usually solid Republican Tennessee as a bit wish-washy this time. If so,
it could mean a big win for Obama nationwide. On his blog, Mark asked
if we were going to watch the debate tomorrow night. I probably will
watch at least a bit of it; I need a good laugh. I’m still going to vote
for Jill Stein.
Jeremy seems to be making inroads with his music; he reported on Facebook that his group is now the Reverb Nation
number nine hip-hop band in all of the Marin Valley of California. I
also think he is negotiating with and agent so he can have wider
exposure. I wish him well and I know he can do what he sets his mind to
doing.
Keegan is back in Japan; he was home on leave for a couple of weeks
before finishing up his Pacific duties and shipping out to the
Frankfort, Germany area. He will again be home for a few days before
going to Europe where he will receive some kind of promotion. We wish
him the best, too.
Carolyn, Chris, and Ashley took Sammy to the market yesterday so he
could pick out his Halloween pumpkin. They bought the one he liked and
the market owner gave him a small, orange gourd with a curved handle on
it which he loved and would not put down.
I like my Roku video streaming box and service. It comes with a nice
little remote control but instead of using it I use my Logitech 650
universal remote to control the Roku, TV, cable box, and Blu-Ray. The
650 is fairly easy to set up; all you do is download a piece of software
from Logitech which will walk you through connecting your remote to the
net via usb cable, inputing all your devices makes and models, updating
the remote via net, and then testing and if all is ok, using it. Mine
replace four remotes.
Carolyn fried some green mater slices yesterday; great with mashed taters and peas.
Just a reminder to enjoy the warm weather while you may
Very warm with hazy skies in Telford today. Nice but dry early autumn.
I’ve managed to drain six pounds (2.8kg) of fluid from my old body
during the past three days and I feel much better all over. For the
first time in more than 12 years, I weigh less than 250lbs (113.4kg).
I won’t be on the net often for a few days; I am keeping my feet up
to try to rid myself of some swelling which seems to be keeping the
wound on my foot from healing. The sore is from the infected blister
that I got on my protruding bunion from the new shoes. They will not do
the knee implant surgery if there are any infected places on me. I will
still keep up with y’all by using the Tab.
Everything else seems to be normal; in other words, a total snafu.
Have a Tuesday and a great autumn week; we had our first frost in the hills Sunday night.
Sammy treated his mom, dad, Granny Chris, and Granny Carolyn to a
trip to Knoxville Zoo yesterday. They all had a very good time. When
they got home last night, they all were worn out … except for Sammy. He
played long and hard at our house for a couple more hours before he went
home. He found himself a little girl his age at the zoo; I think it
must have been love at first sight. Carolyn said all they did was touch
each other’s faces. Hope to post a photo or two in a day or so.
Raining and a bit chilly and we are also under a flood watch. It is
supposed to be nice Saturday when Carolyn takes Sammy et al. to the
Knoxville Zoo.
Sixty-something cable channels and still the same old same-old. Never
trust a Comcast sales rep. The installer even managed to bend one of
the ceiling fan blades in our bedroom … very impressive workmanship.
Are the Roku internet streaming devices worth the money?
Thank you world for sending us the people who made America great.
I but hope this generation realizes all the sacrifices made.
I hope original Americans will forgive us.
Peace
Yesterday was shot and errand day; we both ate at local Taco Bell and
became sick; Carolyn worse than me. Didn’t have a chance to get Sammy.
Hopefully, the Escape is fixed. Parts came yesterday and two hours
later JJ had them installed and then test-drove around the block. He
said it was ok. It will take a few miles of driving to make sure.
Well, my countdown has finally begun and the big event should happen
in November. I am anxious with trepidation; I know it will be a long and
painful road but not as long and painful as it has been. Wish me luck.
Some mid-week blues from Hank and is one of a very few cover songs he performed.
Not much happening except flu is going around; Vicki and Ashley both have it and the schools are reporting a lot of sick kids.
I’ll get my shot tomorrow and we hope to pick Sammy up and keep him for a few hours.
A recent nationwide poll has the Green Party’s Jill Stein/Cheri
Honkala ticket garnering two-percent of the upcoming ballots. Folks,
that doesn’t seem like much but it is enough to decide which of the
clone parties gets elected in a close election. Green will be heard this
November!
From Jeremy and Courtney; this is their view from their bedroom window in Riverside, Calif.
On Saturday, Carolyn decided she would take some day-old biscuits and
make bread pudding like she has done many times before. She began
putting ingredients together and realized she was out of nutmeg and
cinnamon but not one to be easily thwarted, she continued forward into
the culinary unknown. When she asked if I wanted to try some of it, I
was more than a bit leery; the color of the pudding wasn’t “right” and
all I could smell was vanilla. Being a realist and knowing that if I
didn’t at least try the less than tempting dish, she would be unlikely
to ever make bread pudding again even if she had the right ingredients
and I dearly love her bread pudding. I boldly took a bite and was
unexpectedly rewarded; it tasted like my favorite cookies which are
sugar cookies. Bless her heart!
Didn’t do much but sit around this past weekend; listened to the
Tennessee Vols football game on radio and watched Peyton Manning and his
new team on TV. The Vols are ranked in the top 25 after Saturday’s win
but their first real test of the season will come Saturday when the
Florida Gators come to town. Tennessee hasn’t beaten Florida in football
in a coon’s age.
Beginning to feel much better once again; I had the can’t-help-its for a few weeks.
I ordered parts for the Escape yesterday; not being definite about
the problem, I bought the cheapest ones I could find. If coil packs are
not the problem, I won’t be out a terrible lot of money. We cannot find a
mechanic who can tell us what the problem is but a couple of them
hinted that Ford coil packs are often the culprits and internet research
seems to agree.
Sammy is coming over today; I hope to get a video or some pics of him
but he seems to always be in a hurry to go where the camera ain’t.
Fall is rapidly approaching and I have a case of the blues which is
common for me at this time of year. A lack of bird songs along with
waning daylight and disturbingly cooler nights intensify the symptoms of
melancholy. I love making autumn photos but I doubt I will be getting
to do any again this year; my knee is seemingly getting sorer each day
and riding in the car for more than a a few minutes makes me
uncomfortable. Nothing I shan’t overcome, though.
Sammy was here yesterday; I tried three times to get a video of him
walking and playing but each time he managed to scoot away from me just
as I began shooting. I will have to find a place to ambush him. It was
only a bit more than a month ago that Carolyn said she wished how soon
Sammy would be walking … now she spends most of her time chasing him to
make sure he doesn’t get into trouble; he explores everything. He had
her pots and pans out yesterday making as much noise with them as he
could.
Keegan is in from the Air Force for a few weeks; I hope we get to see him before he returns to Japan.
The Escape is still broken and barely drivable at times; it badly needs attention. Just going to get my shot is an adventure.
Mark should be back from visiting his parents in Connecticut; hope he had a good vacation.
Holidays keep my entire week messed up; I thought today was Monday.
Labor Day was quiet until along came Sammy running through the house
naked; well, he wasn’t running but he was at his fastest walk. I didn’t
have time to grab a camera before he was gone. Reminded me of Jeremy
streaking through my mom’s house jay-bird naked when he was small.
Happy 84th Birthday to my Aunt Ivy; I was lucky to have three “moms”
when I was little: Dot, my birth mother, Mom Phillips, my grandmother,
and Ivy, my aunt. Ivy still treats me like one of her own.
I darned sure am not going to miss Sun Myung Moon and hopefully many
more of the rip-off televangelists around the world soon follow his
example. Always preying on the most gullible and the poorest. I hope
that Pat Robertson and Billy Graham will soon follow the Korean to
whatever heaven is appropriate for such filth.
We must be getting the leftovers from the hurricane which hit
Louisiana last week. I have seen but one robin in the past week and
other migrators have also thinned out or disappeared. A few trees are
shedding early leaves and the photo-sharing sites are already posting
autumn color shots. Wrens are cuddling in Carolyn’s Boston ferns but she
will bring the greenery in before first frost. The little birds seem
always to find another place to winter until she once again hangs the
baskets in mid-spring.
Have a good Worshday everyone and a great Labor Day to all the working men and women of the world.
Democrats are as blind as Republicans. Some of my FB pals are blaming
G.W. Bush in entirety for T.A.R.P. bailout of Wall Street. They don’t
seem to remember Obama and McCain both making big productions of sacrificing
campaign time to rush to Washington, D.C. to vote “YEA” for the giving
away of America’s future. These Democrats are more worried about a vote
for the Green Party hurting Obama than they are about what is right and
what is wrong. If Obama loses, he will have done so on his own merits.
I decided I would vote this year; I was so pissed in 2008 that I
pouted and did not do so. This year I am still mad at the political
setup and I am still pouting, but I will vote for the Green Party
anyway. In Tennessee, it won’t make any difference; whichever Republican
runs for president will get the state’s electoral votes. Mine will be a
vote of protest against an archaic and failed system.
Jeremy and Courtney seem to be doing fine in their California digs.
He is having a good time with his music where it is having an impact on
the local scene. We love ya, young'uns!
Not much else going on today in the hills; hot outside with rain again possible.
This country needs a new-era Rosa Parks;
someone who has enough gumption to lead the non-wealthy from the
grimness at the back of the financial bus to a place of equal
opportunity for anyone willing to work for it. Americans have for many,
many years worked harder and produced more per capita than any other
nation in the world and we need someone to stand up and show the public
why our so-called ‘Free Trade’ policy has not and will not work unless
it encompasses Fair Trade. If free trade should become
fair trade, of course prices will rise but so will job availability and
wages. We will once again be able as a nation to compete with anyone in
the world.
I think Carolyn has given up; she decided she wants more television
channels especially after I told her the Republican convention would
probably be on all the main local networks this week. She has decided on
the most inexpensive cable package with internet and phone; we don’t
need the phone but it is the cheapest way to go and after a year she can
drop the phone part of the package. We don’t even own a land-line type
telephone.
My new shoes are getting the last laugh; I now have an infected
blister on my right bunion and am having a heck of a time getting it to
heal.
Sammy was over yesterday to use his swimming pool; he had a lot of
fun and Ashley made a few photos of him. Earlier, he made his first
visit to the fair and he was not impressed. H paid no attention to the
animals and rides and didn’t even like cotton candy.
The passing of Neil Armstrong is being noted and lamented around the world; he was the right man for the time.
A bit of good news on our economic situation; one of Carolyn’s old
accounts wants her back. It is only a three evening per week job but
right now, every little bit helps. She has only three more payments and
her work van will be free and clear. That is another $400 per month we
hopefully won’t have to worry about.
Yesterday I downloaded The Lord of the Rings all in one volume. Haven’t read it since high school. A couple of weeks ago I read Ghetto Diary
by Janusz Korczak, a beautifully written account set in WW2 of the
final sad days of most of the remaining Warsaw Jews in Nazi death camp.
This is a heart-breaking story we should all read and understand. I also
read The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. It has good lessons for all of us.
One of the bridges which is located in a part of Warsaw’s Łazienki park called ‘Ogród Belwederski’. Jola’s photo.
I like making photos in late summer. Weather has usually moderated to
where it isn’t too hot to spend some time in the sun and humidity isn’t
so oppressive to keep us reaching for a hanky or bandanna to wipe our
faces. And then there is the sunlight which speaks of summer’s end. The
lower seasonal angle of the sun along with thousands of leaves have
softened the bright sunlight and bestowed that peaceful, easy feeling
that is the hallmark of warm weather. Lots of open lawn, a whispering
stream with hungry ducks, and kids to enjoy it; what could be better for
soul-survival of young and old? Thank you Jola for allowing me to use
your fine photo.
I bought Sammy his first real book; Shel Silverstein’s A Giraffe and a Half. Now to get him still long enough to read it to him.
Not much planned this weekend; I am have a bit of fluid buildup and
do not feel the greatest but it ain’t near as bad as it was when the RA
pills were not helping.
Nights are cooler and days, though still hot, are milder than what they were. It all must mean something.
Sammy has a unique way of hugging me … he does this to no one else.
Instead of putting his arms around my neck like he does everyone else,
he grabs my hair on each side of my head and pulls me forward to where
he can lay his head on mine. I figure the harder he pulls my hair the more lovin’ he is giving me. I call it his “papaw hug”.
Until he was here Wednesday, I had never been able to pick him up
from the floor or someone’s lap. RA had me so weak and sore that some
days I could not lift a fork to my mouth to feed myself; I basically
bent over like a pig at a slop trough and did the best I could. Sammy
and I were alone in the office Wednesday and something in the hallway
slightly frightened him; it has happened before and he always crawled to
me for me to pick him up to protect him and I was never able to do so; I
had to call out to Carolyn to help me. He couldn’t understand why I
didn’t pick him up and the way he looked up at me with his pleading eyes
broke my heart. But this time when he came to me, I easily picked him
up and he immediately grabbed my hair and gave me a “papaw hug”. The RA
shots are finally working for the most part and I’ve had a pretty good
week.
Got my shot yesterday and also my blood work in preparation for my RA doctor checkup next Friday.
Sunday, Carolyn and I revisited the scenes of the Dry Creek flooding.
I could have made some pics of the work going on for people to rebuild
their lives; I could have made pics of them sitting in front of their
tiny, temporary camper homes. I could have made pics of their facial
expressions as another idiot with a camera gawked by, I could have tried
to capture the strained emotions on their faces, and I could have tried
to catch the glimpses of hope as they waved when we drove by. Instead, I
kept the camera in my lap and they kept their dignity. Many agencies,
both government and private, are helping out in making homes once more
liveable or even replacing the ones that could not be fixed. Jerry has
applied for assistance in getting his HVAC unit replaced; he has already
spent $350 of his own on it just to find out it is not repairable.
Augusta National Golf Club has finally admitted female members. If I
were a woman, I would be so pissed at the club I would tell them to
fuck-off! Really, who these days cares if some rich old bastards elect
some rich old bitches to membership? They never did invite me to join.
Now the day is gone and I sit alone and think of you, girl What can I do without you in my life? I guess that our guessing game just had to end that way The hardest one to lose of all the games we played
But the time is past for living in a dream world Lying to myself can't make that scene Of wondering if you love me or just making a fool of me Well I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island
Chorus:
And watch the sun go down (sit and watch the sun go down) Hear the sea roll in (listen to the sea roll in) But I'll be thinking of you (yes, and I'll be thinking of you) And how it might have been (thinking how it might have been) Hear the night birds cry (listen to the night birds cry) Watch the sunset die (sit and watch the sunset die) Well I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island
Well all the fun has died, It's raining in my heart I know down in my soul I'm really gonna miss you But it had to end this way with all the games we played Well I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island
The annual Appalachian District Fair begins
tomorrow; it draws folk from most of northeast Tennessee plus many from
western North Carolina, southwest Virginia, and southeast Kentucky. I
want to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl;
I enjoy that infernal machine. I also like the Ferris wheel (London
Eye) but no way will I ride anything that turns me upside down and there
is a loud “hell no” to riding a roller coaster. I’d as soon dare ride
on an airplane.
Tammy is making soaps for Christmas orders; I highly recommend them.
Will Tampa Bay Bucs football ever be a consistent contender or are they the Detroit Lions of the South?
Less than two weeks until college football
officially begins its season. I hope my Rocky Top Vols can make some
kind of positive showing this year. If I could walk well, I would attend
one of the home games. One-hundred thousand people clad mostly in
orange and white and singing Rocky Top as loud as possible is something
to behold. I haven’t attended a game in Knoxville since 1983.
Sullen, gray, foreboding, lowering, threatening, ominous; today’s local sky.
I’ve restarted occasional emailing to some political cronies who live
on the west coast. When my friend Dave died last winter, I got out of
the habit of commenting on their thoughts and arguments. I did keep up
with their goings-on, though. Of course we discuss more than politics;
they must have found out that I am from the South and they began a
discussion saying the North would have been better off if they had
allowed the South to secede in 1860. I realize they were baiting me but
they grabbed the wrong bear by the ass this time. I am no history
expert, but I have extensively read, studied, and thought on the matters
of why the southern states left the Union and why the North–especially
Abraham Lincoln– could not
allow it to happen for any reason or excuse. Following is part of my
reply; I kept it simple because, like I said, they are all west coast
men and really very ignorant of the South. They are all well educated
but have chosen to believe the southern stereotypes. They are all–less
one tea-partier–Obama-crats.
Me: Had the South’s nullification and secession attempt
succeeded, it is my opinion as a Southerner that some of the wayward
states would soon have reapplied for admission back into the Union. My
home state of Tennessee may have been the first to do so; most of the
population of the eastern, mountain dominated section of the state were
die-hard Unionists. … It is my belief that the Confederacy would never
have held together and slavery would have died out as the
industrialization of the continent progressed.
>This is part of one of their quotes and my response:
They: ” … we would now be faced with huge numbers of marginally illiterate southerners flooding over our borders … .”
Me: Easy to speculate here but hard to put a handle on in reality; time stands still for no man or nation.The
world was changing fast and the South would have been forced to keep up
or possibly fall into anarchy or come under heavy influence from
outside; they would not have had the money to keep up and I don’t think
the North would have allowed too much help for Dixie from outlanders.
I can think of many reasons why the nation had to remain united and
these guys have yet to show me why the states should have parted.
Enough of my drivel that no one is interested in anyway; have a great weekend!
Sammy was here for a few minutes this morning and then he took
Carolyn shopping. He is happy and growing; I hope to spend more time
with him Saturday.
Our weather still isn’t settled; rain nearly every day or night or
both. Some fair skies are mixed in but it is hard to decide what is
going on.
I am very much liking the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 tablet. Typing is
still a chore but not a heck of a lot worse than using my PC keyboard
with crooked fingers and is much easier than using the Droid X keyboard.
Reading books, etc. is much easier than with the Droid and; I’m not
forever tapping for the next page.
The phone company this month raised my internet access bill by thirty
dollars; it is now seventy-five bucks per month to have net access. I
will not continue to pay it; Americans pay the highest prices in the
developed world for only mediocre service. For thirty bucks per month, I
can use my wireless phone service as an access point and for a few
dollars more than that, I can have net access through the TV cable.
The tea party express is heading for D.C. this fall and I don’t see
much in the way to stop it. Obama cannot stand on his record for it is
tainted with Republican idealism and backroom sellouts. Obamacare is
just that; a tool for reelection. Without the public option such as
Medicare for all, it is more mind-numbing bureaucracy for millions of
Americans who need basic healthcare the most. Americans want and insist
on easy fixes and the economy is not fixed nor will it ever be unless we
strengthen its foundations; Obama has not the moxy
to take on the hard jobs nor does the middle-class voters. National
infrastructure is four years older and in graver danger of collapse for
the most part. Our service people are still dying in Afghanistan, a
place completely lost in the middle of the nineteenth century. Its top
exports are heroin, terrorists, and foreign causalities of war. Obama
nor Romney have no definite plans to withdraw from a place where the Red
Army gained sense enough to know they could not win a war, and the USA
plows on like victory is just days away. Young lives are cheap when you
are the sitting power in Washington, D.C.
Maybe the surprise of the Democratic convention will be when Obama
tosses Joe Biden and takes Hillary Clinton as his running mate, to have
and to hold.
Lovely day so far in East Tennessee; Carolyn is working and I ain’t.
She took off Friday night and is making it up today. I planned to have
her haul my butt around for a bit and see if I could find some more quilted barns to shoot for my gallery on Megashot but that project will have to wait.
Carolyn fixed a meal for the family last evening. Chris and Kevin,
Ashley, Sam, and Sammy came to eat with us. Jerry was up to his ears
trying to get his outbuildings and area cleaned up after the flood
damage so he and Tami didn’t come. It was good to have something other
than a sandwich for a change.
I am cutting down on my Facebook usage; I’ve never spent a lot of
time there but I am becoming bored with some of the stuff I post which
is mostly shares about politics or religion; too much of either one is
enough. I will still check in on my family and you, my dear friends.
Quiet and beautiful street in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Thanks to Jola for allowing me to use her photo
What is it with the internet? If it gets any slower it will be going
backwards; if so, maybe we can see if Al Gore really did invent the net.
Jerry was over yesterday to get the pressure washer; he has a lot of
cleanup to do. Tennessee Emergency Management is doing their thing in
Dry Creek where he lives and where the most damage was done and Federal
Emergency Management is due at any time. Though no human lives were lost
in the flooding, many pets and farm animals died. One family lost
twelve miniature horses along with other livestock. Dry Creek has
changed its channel in a place or two because of the massive movement of
soil by water; a fish pond belonging to Jerry’s father-in-law is gone.
Jerry’s worst loss was his heating and cooling system for his house; it
quit working soon after the flood water receded.
Dog Days ended yesterday and school is starting. Long, frosty nights
and days of little sunshine are just around the corner. I need a long
vacation away from this desk; do I hear Florida calling? Not likely,
probably just the wind around the shutters teasing me a bit.
Out yesterday getting my shot and running errands. Carolyn had a
craving for a fish dinner at Long John Silver’s so off we went—against
my better judgement. LJS used to have good food back in the 70′s, but
now it is nothing but grease bombs. Carolyn is more tolerant of it than
am I, so after eating I became sick at my stomach and she didn’t.
Emergency management crews are in the flooded areas, assessing
damages to property. Jerry has several thousands of dollars in damages
but like nearly everyone else in the United States, he has no flood
damage insurance. I don’t know if there will be any government aide for
these people, may of whom lost nearly everything. One family lost at
least a dozen miniature horses and other livestock. Was all this an act
of God or just Nature doing her thing?
Sammy was over yesterday and he is walking. He walks some, crawls
some, and as with most toddlers, he prefers to be carried. I hope to get
a video of him walking and dancing when he returns.
Jerry called us at about nine o’clock last evening saying that they
were flooded by the heavy rains. He had no power and water was a few
inches below his door. Later he called back and said the flood was
receding a little. We drove down to Dry Creek this morning and it is a
mess down there. He is very lucky the water didn’t come up another foot.
In just a sort time last evening, they had six inches (15cm) of rain
fall. This flood was more severe than the one I witnessed in 1980 when
many of the bridges washed out on the same stream. They were replaced by
better structures and most of them seem to have held. A few houses,
mobile homes, and out buildings were washed off their foundations with
one house ending up on the main road atop a car. The mayor of Washington
County was in the area this morning handing out bottled water and the
Red Cross along with other emergency services were in the area. The
worst damage to Jerry’s property was muddy water getting inside a couple
of his vehicles, including his nice Camaro, and his work and storage
shed were also flooded. I got a few pics with the Pentax and 50mm lens
but nothing of real importance.
Sunlight strikes the retinas of the eyes which instantly message the
brain to send excruciating pain signals to the areas of the head just
behind the eyebrows, feeling like twin earthquakes rumbling through and a
moment later a volcano dead-center between the eyes blows its top. Thus
was my day yesterday and once the mess began, I could not control it. I
even threatened to get drunk just to ease the pressure. Today is easier
but there is room for improvement. Such is life …
Congratulations to Mark for acquiring a beautiful ride.
I hope it brings him many years of of carefree driving. I suppose there
won’t be any stump-jumping or swamp music for this black truck.
Most of the time it is best for a man to sit with his mouth tightly
shut and nodding approval of every inane word his loving bride says to
him.
Thank each one of you for your many birthday greetings; they are
appreciated and I love all of you. Thanks to my Megashot friends, my
Flickr friends, my Facebook friends, and especially to my blog friends
for making this a joyful day for me … and Sammy. He was with me for a
few hours.
I found a new word, at least one I don’t think I’ve run across before—smarmy.
Sounds sort of like British origin. Now that I have it I must think of
something to do with it. Should be great in politics. Smarmy: smug or
sleazy.
In her blog,
Courtney is describing her and Jeremy’s pilgrimage from the deep south
to L.A. Hooray to Remy for putting her paw down and saying she wasn’t
going any farther in one day; they were deep in the heart of Texas.
In a market already saturated with restaurants and fast food outlets, Johnson City has gone gaga over the prospect of a Tupelo Honey Cafe
franchise locating in town. Well, the wait is over as the parent
company of the restaurant announced they would locate in our fair city.
It is to be situated downtown therefore tying its fortunes on the
revitalization of a part of the landscape that I think should be leveled
and made into a green space dedicated to the futility of urban renewal
when, in fact, ol’ Urb don’t want to be renewed.
The Olympics are a few days old now and I’ve yet to catch an event on
TV. Every time I try to see what’s happening, all I get is a bunch of
talking heads attempting to explain in detail all the things I don’t
want to know. Being as they are showing the day’s events in replay, it
looks like they could cut-out some of the inane (insane) verbal “expert”
garbage and home videos of the participants as small children and get
down to the competitors doing their thing.
Mitt Romney tells the Polish press via his spokesman to ” kiss my
ass” and to “shove it” while campaigning in Warsaw in an attempt to
garner that conservative nation’s much needed Catholic votes. Uh, Mr.
Romney; Poland is not one of the voting districts of the USA and there
are probably not more than two-or-three tea partiers living within its
borders. I suppose you are just passing through on your way to
Switzerland to make a deposit in your Christmas Club account at one of that
nation's famous banks.
I gotta brand new pair of shoes! First I’ve bought in many years. For ages I bought only New Balance
walking shoes because the ones I liked were made in USA. I can no
longer find the domestic ones, so I ended up trying a new brand called ProPet which, of course. are Chinese made. I require shoes with Velcro
straps because of my unpredictable fingers and wrists. They seem to fit
well and feel good but I know it will take a lot of bunion and callous
pads to get them comfortable. They were bought from Amazon, but I
recommend ShoeBuy instead; their prices are a bit higher but they have
very good return policies and delivery times.
Sammy was with us both Friday and Saturday for several hours each
visit. He don’t nap much anymore; thirty minutes Friday and none
yesterday.
Eight weeks back, he could stand under my desk with a little head
clearance; now the top of his head is at least an inch (25mm) higher
than the bottom of my desktop. Kids do most of their growing in summer, I
suppose.
In court Wednesday in a case heard shortly before mine; Discover Card
versus and old woman. Not just an old woman, she is ninety years old,
suffering from acute dementia and nearly deaf. Her son was with her,
explaining the situation to the judge and the prosecuting lawyer. The
woman has no recollection of using the card any later than 1987; the
judge was nice and told her she needed to have an attorney and reset the
hearing date until October. She obviously doesn’t have any money and
her son wasn’t dressed in finery either so I don’t know how she can
afford legal counsel. Our government has all but shut down free legal
aid to poor people, leaving folk like her in a bind.
No matter how desperate our problems seem to get, there is always someone
in much more physical, mental, or financial distress than are we and our
corporate nation cares not at all. Wake up, America!
All went as good as could be expected yesterday. The doctor said I
was in very god shape for my ages except for the RA. I came out of court
with payments I could barely afford which will likely play into my knee
surgery scenario. Ah well, we live moment by moment.
Another thing that has gotten us behind this month is that Carolyn
did not receive her Social Security check which was due on the third
Wednesday. She called the bureaucracy and they informed her that her
check had indeed been sent but said they would send her a replacement.
Also, one of her accounts didn’t pay her this month and and all this has
put us in a bit of a hole. By month’s end, we should be ok, however.
The cosmic karma is about to send the eagle of prosperity to shit on my
head.
Got my shot today and tomorrow comes the Man. I desperately need one of his hugs.
Back when I still thought there was a possibility of America having a
great future, our first woman astronaut flew aboard the space shuttle,
reinforcing my optimism. Sally Ride, who inspired a lot of women around the world with her pioneering journey, died recently.
Carolyn took the Escape to the mechanic yesterday. He found no
electrical problems and ended up cleaning the fuel injectors. He said he
was getting more and more cars with the same problem and that it was
more than likely due to bad gasoline. He said a person should find a
station they trust and buy all their fuel there. Knowingly selling bad
gasoline is more of America’s moral and economic decay.
This is going to be a crappy week. Tomorrow morning I go to my doctor
for annual checkup. In the afternoon I have to appear in court so a
creditor can obtain judgement against me. I can tolerate the judgement
decree, but I will have to stand on the crutches for an unknown time
until my case is heard. These two things should envelope my entire day.
Thursday is shot day again and hopefully Friday will be Sammy day; he
can quickly cure an entire week full of ills.
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players …
~William Shakespeare
I think W. Shakespeare pretty well realized most of the strengths and
frailties of the human spirit. I also believe that most of us live at
least a double standard and each of these standards comes with an
assortment of faces we show the public, our friends, our enemies, and
our families … and sometimes even ourselves. We play our roles as we see
fit and as the whims of life tell us to. My own roles have been many
and varied, I suppose.
I was thinking; it seems that in the last few years my role–never one of
great importance–on life’s stage has become less pertinent as younger
faces reciting shiny and important new words written in updated
scripts have slowly replaced my time-worn and dog-eared pages. At the
same time, I realized that I hardly used a script after I became used to
my groove (rut?)in my continuing road of living and I doubt that most
people do; life’s mature players simply ad-lib along. That is
not to say I am comfortable with my journey; when a person becomes
complacent they are asking for an awakening slap across the mouth from
the people they most trust, not to mention the pains and sorrows their
enemies have planned for them. Ad-libing is much easier than following a
script; words and directions written for us, even if they were written
by us, become stale and and we end up having to alter facts just to make
them fit our view of the times. I am guilty of altering facts at times
as I ad-lib them because in simple situations, saying a little white lie
to ease me through is much better than having to face a big and
complicated truth all at one time. My brain has learned a bit from my
worn knees: small steps are less complex or painful to deal with than
are huge strides. Older people are never suspected of knowing the truth
about much, anyway.
Anyway, live your life on your terms but don’t forget that you really
are on a stage and you should try to say or do something either silly or
pertinent. One good aside can save a lifelong mediocre performance.
Yesterday was rather busy; up early and to doc’s office for my shot
and then off to the south end of town for a mechanic to take a look at
the Escape. It has redeveloped the engine miss like it had last winter.
He was busy so we have to take it back Monday for computer analysis.
From there it was back to the west side and the post office where we get
our pension checks and then to the bank. From there to on to a quick,
take-out breakfast/lunch and off to the north side of town and Home
Depot where Carolyn had to buy a few janitorial supplies. It was past
two-o’clock when we got back home and I was very tired.
Sammy is coming today; I should be weary again by the time he leaves
at around four this afternoon. It will be a good weary, though.
I think I have let it be known that I have all but divorced myself
from the Democratic Party and it is very obvious I have never had any
relationship other than animosity toward the self-serving Republican
party. With Mark’s input, this year I have decided to support the Green
Party of the United States. The Greens seem to have most of the things
in their platform which I miss from the old “New Deal” Democratic party
which was alive and well until the Vietnam fiasco ended Lyndon Johnson’s
presidency.
One of the many things that do need changing to help the party to
succeed is to find a better name than “Green”. I’m sure none of us have
anything against the color green, and in some European countries green
parties have had some good (and bad) impact.
In the U.S., the words “politics” and “green” together have been
stigmatized into a derisive term, “tree huggers”. Most Americans who
will even give it a thought when asked if they know what the Green Party
is and who its candidates are will probably answer with their own
question, to wit, “Isn’t that the tree huggers” whom they know as
environmental extremists and elitist activists.
I applaud the Green Party for is stance and fight against the wanton
destruction of the environment of the only world we have; I say for the
most part, tree huggers, elitists, and other activists are sorely
needed. What I don’t applaud is the name “Green” attached to a party,
even a very liberal party that wants to be a player on all stages of
reform through politics. “Green” is going to do nothing more than turn
off the average Joe and Jane voters because the “tree hugger” stigma
will be the first thing that pops into their minds. We need a new name
for the party which the American people can positively adhere to.
Americans need to know there is much more to the Party; we have good
ideas for the economy, infrastructure, political reform, environment,
foreign diplomacy, healthcare, education, and stern controls on big
finance and businesses that have learned to master most legislation from
the local level on to the federal level by using the influence of lots
of money and strong-arm power.
Let’s be much more than “those tree-hugger guys”; let’s get the ball
rolling to save this country before it is too late. What is your idea
for a new name for the party which encompasses what the majority of
American people want the country to be?
Jeremy and Courtney are settling in and are living near Los Angeles.
Courtney already has a job and Jeremy has some good prospects. Good
luck, young’uns.
Sammy was here Friday and again Saturday. He slept a lot of the time;
he must be a tomcat at night. He did manage to stay awake long enough
on Friday to completely tire-out his old g.grandpaw.
We got enough rain in the past few days to make the grass green again; still rains nearly every night.
Off the net since Friday night; someone hacked my modem. It was mysteriously back in service this morning.
Didn’t sleep well last night. Hope to be back in full swing by tomorrow.
Sammy is coming back today; he won’t be here long but I am looking forward to seeing him.
I am officially supporting recommending and supporting the Green Party of the United States
and all of it’s candidates for public office. I hope that American
readers of this blog will take the time to compare the Green Party with
the bought-and-paid-for offerings of the two major parties.
All this rain is certainly welcome but I am now wishing it would
spread itself out over a few weeks instead of several days at a time.
Carolyn is teaching herself to text on her new phone. I have never
texted and don’t intend to begin and she now thinks she knows something
that I don’t know. I cannot convince her not to drive and talk on the
phone at the same time and now I have to worry about her texting while
driving. I hope she doesn’t kill or maim anyone.
Cross the bridge but don’t burn it behind you because a friend may be standing on the other end awaiting your return.
No Sammy today, perhaps Friday. He is spending time with his dad.
Afghanistan: Six American soldiers killed defending a scab on the ass
of he earth and it is barely reported by our glam-seeking media. The
world is going to hell in a hand basket while we capitalists continue to
blindly chase another inflated dollar.
By golly, I like my tab computer. I imagine a 10-inch tablet can replace laptops--and even some desktops--for a lot of people. I've already got Netflix and Youtube on board, and the silly thing can even operate as a tv remote control. Pisses-off Carolyn when I am reading my e-book and all of a sudden her tv channel changes or the sound mutes. I can act as innocent as anyone.
Sammy was here yesterday but he slept much of the time; he is supposed to be back for an encore tomorrow.
Finally got a bit of rain and there is thunder to the west of me as I write this. Still need a couple days worth of steady drizzle to soak the ground.
Jeremy and Courtney are finally settled in California; it was not the
easiest move to make but make it they did. I will let them tell of
their journey with its trials and tribulations on their own blogs.
Anyway, my congratulations to them for persevering in the face of
extreme adversity.
Sammy is doing well, according to the doctor. He got two more shots
and a finger prick which did not please him. He is to quit using baby
formula and begin with whole milk. He has a toothbrush and must use it.
He needs to be read to but whomever does that will have to be fast on
their feet because he is constantly on the move.
Megashot seems to be moving forward very well with many new talented
members from Southeast Asia joining in the past two weeks. There are
many more page loads now, and the sites popularity is quickly advancing.
As much as I dislike Facebook, I must admit Megashot’s tie-in with the
social site has paid mega-dividends both ways. I understand that version
2 of the site is coming along well and I know for a fact that it will
be easy to use, very customizable, and even more exciting than at
present. At that, the present version is still the best photo site on
the web. Megashot.net is the best of everything photographic.
I’ve had a relapse the past couple of days; yesterday I was barely
able to get out of bed. I fear the shots are not going to work, either.
However, I am going to try to give them another two weeks to do their
thing. My hands and fingers were so sore I could not hold my new ebook
to read. Today is better but not near as good as was last week.
Carolyn has gone to take Sammy for his medical checkup; he is still tugging at his right ear.
Hooray!
Hooray for Europe following Poland's lead in slapping down ACTA.
Hooray for France for taxing the richest citizens and companies.
I
was planning to have a decent 4th when the doorbell rang and it was a
process server with an appearance warrant for me due to an unpaid debt.
So, I am getting sued ... again. I've been to the courthouse so much in
the past two years that workers there think I am just another employee.
CitiMortgage sold the mortgage on our old house to PennyMac. PennyMac is a company founded in 2008 by the officers of Countrywide Financial which is the one company most responsible for the housing market fall and the mess I am in.
Got
my shot yesterday; if the liquid medicine is going to work, it should
begin doing so within a couple of weeks; until then, I will struggle on
with soreness and feeling of perpetual tiredness on some days days, like
the last two have been. Actually, I am much better than what I was two weeks ago.
I will try to answer the comments from the past few days when the fingers decide to work together.
In about three months, Keegan will be home on leave for a while, then off to Germany. Hope he can stay away from Afghanistan.
Perfection! The moment we awaken each morning is perfect; everything
is fresh and nothing is required … but only for a moment and then life
reasserts itself. If we can but stretch the essence of that fleeting
second to last throughout our waking day we shall have found heaven.
I know it is big argumentative, but my pick of the three best musical
performers of the late hippie age were Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and
Janis Joplin. I believe that Janis performing with Big Brother and the
Holding Company was the best electric blues ever performed.
Jeremy and Courtney are in Los Angeles, Calif. and are almost to their apartment as of 11:40 this morning.
We had some dandy thunderstorms at around midnight last night. It is
only the second time in my life that I’ve seen lightning flashing
continuously for more than a few minutes; the show lasted for more than
one-half hour before slackening. However, we got only the edge of the
storms; about three minutes of hard rain. The grass is still brown.
We are up to our ears in June bugs, they are all over the yard; most I’ve seen since I was a kid.
Sammy had a good birthday party; he mostly held one person’s or
another’s hands and walked. There were several small kids there and all
he wanted to do was follow them around. Ashley’s dad has him spoiled.
Friday was Carolyn’s and my 48th wedding anniversary; the day eased by with little to note its passing. Outside temp hit 102°F.
Ashley had Sammy his first birthday party yesterday; he was ill and
sleepy at first but finally ate some sugary birthday cake and then he
went hyper. He was a joy for all of us. Outside temp hit 103° (39.44°C).
Jeremy and Ashley are about to exit Texas; they stopped for lunch in
Dallas yesterday. Courtney tweeted that they were invaded and infested
by grasshoppers somewhere in W. Texas. They both agree–”Texas is too
damned big and too damned flat”. She also said that Mississippi roads
are miserable to ride on. They say they will be on the coast of
California tomorrow morning.
Shucks, I thought Georgia was flat.
