Sunday, June 10, 2012
SAGA OF SILLINESS
I thought I'd share a couple of mundane and random thoughts today. Life can be quite humorous if you choose to perceive things just a little differently.
I coined an unexpected saying the other day. As I was looking over the contents of the frig to determine a shopping list I said, innocently I assure you, "Refrigerators are apparently where left-overs go to die". Well think about it. Don't we feel all virtuous when we lovingly place our offerings in brightly color coordinated covered little bowls who snap, burp and warble. Then 4-5 days later we toss them. I think they appreciate the reprieve but maybe I'm just kidding myself.
I accidently bought a jar of these baby pickles. Just about big enough for one crunch or two very small ones, I have renamed them picklets. Much more descriptive and gentler term for these big pickle wannabes.
And what about those low-fat mozarella cheese sticks. My personal routine is to bite the head off and then slowly pull the rest of the stick into long stringy pieces until it looks like the rosterferian dude featured on the package with all his crazy hair sticking out in different directions. Then I painstakingly chew each little "tendril". Makes it last longer.
As I'm doing laundry this am I always start with the "delicates". What is it about straps (ladies you know what I mean) that cause them to go beserk attacking any other items that dare to share their temporary washroom spa? Yes, I know they have little cages to put these things in, but really how difficult should laundry be? So then I have to spend time untangling, unhooking, untwisting these items from others as they strive to strangle any interloper without straps. Is it a hierarchy thing on some unmentionable status list? Is it a sexual issue and I am merely witnessing the "proverbial" relaxed moment after the passion? Or do certain items in my intimate wardrobe have jealousy issues? At any rate, it is always an adventure to check the load after the rinse cycle.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
RAMBLINGS
Interesting that the older you get the more you begin to realize everything is not black and white and grey is the norm. There are many sides to every issue and nothing is all or nothing. When we are young, it seems so simple and the most obvious is always the truth. As one becomes more seasoned so to speak, there is a realization that there are many interpretations based upon what has been experienced. Reactions to those unexplainable moments or disturbing facts should be based, hopefully, on what one has learned of human nature and our own growing intelligence.
Learning without context is deceiving; learning coupled with experience is the beginning of wisdom. Strength is measured on more than just the physical level. Compassion and understanding identify the truly evolved. It seems easier to cling to our beliefs based upon what we perceive rather than perhaps exploring what may be an entirely different interpretation. In defense of that, we also incorporate our personal fears and pain into our perception which makes each person's perspective unique. We have all made mistakes quickly jumping to our normal truth rather than really researching or truly understanding the issues or the person. That adversely affects many of our personal decisions which perhaps shuts our minds off to what may be a glorious and wondrous experience. Could we get hurt? Could we be wrong? Of course, but not to try to understand seems a worse fate.
It is also very scary indeed to consider the types of misinformation being spewed by political pundits and opinion makers. Citizens must do their own research and make up their own minds on what is the truth. The constant example of Obama's spending more than any other President, is completely erroneous when one does even a small amount of research. In fact he is percentage points "below" any of the previous six presidents. To think that we don't need some type of affordable health care and hanging our hats on the constant vitriol of all having to pay as unconstitutional is short-sighted at best. Check out your local emergency room to see the pathos of those without insurance or look among your friends or others you associate with and you will find at least one who is foregoing treamtment they cannot afford or for which they have been denied coverage.
The constant attack on medicare, social security, public workers, teachers and the education sysem as well. Ask yourself who has benefitted from these cuts? When the economy imploded, who was hurt and who was saved? Hint: it wasn't the people of moderate means, who by the way, account for 75% of the GNP. If no one buys, no one profits. Are there those taking advantage of the system-of course. But surprise it is not just the people on some type of government assistance. What do you call tax breaks for multi-billion dollar corporations? Or well-documented handouts to businesses who are not held accountable for job creation, etc. Do they use public roads? Public safety services? Publically educated employees? The take on the business side dwarfs the $200 the "lazy" guy next store is taking from the system each week. How well does a family do on $5 or $10 an hour?
But again wisdom demands that we also see the problems. Often government is wasteful and impractical. Try to run a business on a constantly changing picture of politics, lobbyists, influence, perceptions. Government cannot run entirely like a business as it does not make a profit. It is charged with providing services to the many and is paid for by those many who contribute to the whole to take care of those things we cannot as individuals. Is some or much of it out of control? Of course. Wisdom dicates we fix what is wrong, not condemn the entire system. Quit drinking the kool-aid and be a part of the solution. Overcoming our personal perceptions and fears will not be easy, but it is essential.
Learning without context is deceiving; learning coupled with experience is the beginning of wisdom. Strength is measured on more than just the physical level. Compassion and understanding identify the truly evolved. It seems easier to cling to our beliefs based upon what we perceive rather than perhaps exploring what may be an entirely different interpretation. In defense of that, we also incorporate our personal fears and pain into our perception which makes each person's perspective unique. We have all made mistakes quickly jumping to our normal truth rather than really researching or truly understanding the issues or the person. That adversely affects many of our personal decisions which perhaps shuts our minds off to what may be a glorious and wondrous experience. Could we get hurt? Could we be wrong? Of course, but not to try to understand seems a worse fate.
It is also very scary indeed to consider the types of misinformation being spewed by political pundits and opinion makers. Citizens must do their own research and make up their own minds on what is the truth. The constant example of Obama's spending more than any other President, is completely erroneous when one does even a small amount of research. In fact he is percentage points "below" any of the previous six presidents. To think that we don't need some type of affordable health care and hanging our hats on the constant vitriol of all having to pay as unconstitutional is short-sighted at best. Check out your local emergency room to see the pathos of those without insurance or look among your friends or others you associate with and you will find at least one who is foregoing treamtment they cannot afford or for which they have been denied coverage.
The constant attack on medicare, social security, public workers, teachers and the education sysem as well. Ask yourself who has benefitted from these cuts? When the economy imploded, who was hurt and who was saved? Hint: it wasn't the people of moderate means, who by the way, account for 75% of the GNP. If no one buys, no one profits. Are there those taking advantage of the system-of course. But surprise it is not just the people on some type of government assistance. What do you call tax breaks for multi-billion dollar corporations? Or well-documented handouts to businesses who are not held accountable for job creation, etc. Do they use public roads? Public safety services? Publically educated employees? The take on the business side dwarfs the $200 the "lazy" guy next store is taking from the system each week. How well does a family do on $5 or $10 an hour?
But again wisdom demands that we also see the problems. Often government is wasteful and impractical. Try to run a business on a constantly changing picture of politics, lobbyists, influence, perceptions. Government cannot run entirely like a business as it does not make a profit. It is charged with providing services to the many and is paid for by those many who contribute to the whole to take care of those things we cannot as individuals. Is some or much of it out of control? Of course. Wisdom dicates we fix what is wrong, not condemn the entire system. Quit drinking the kool-aid and be a part of the solution. Overcoming our personal perceptions and fears will not be easy, but it is essential.
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