Some where, some day, maybe

Hi Friends;
  I was just feeling a bit down today.  One of the downsides of living alone - occasionally I need a hug...  So, listening to music today, this song started to play.  I sang along a bit and before long Gracie came to give me a hug.  Not sure if it was me voicing my need for a hug or her attempt to distract me from singing.  Poor thing, probably hurt her ears.  Oh well, feel better now.     Hugs to all!

Like?

I just got done talking with Scottie.  We IM a few times a week.  We talked about our morning.... I have been busy already caring for the neighbor's two dogs and realized how I never thought my dog really was so well behaved until having to clean up poop from the neighbor dog two days running.  Bleh!   But, back to my point... we were talking about this guy who is starting his own white supremacist town.  Here's the link to Scotties post:  http://scottiestoybox.com/2013/09/22/white-supremacist-town/    Now, it was a fairly intense idea, conversation, moral issues and... wow, I just felt depressed at the end of it from how trite and hateful people can be.  So, perhaps that is why I find myself unable to not post about this....

  You see, after talking about such a striking issue with Scottie, I went to check the weather.  I put both of those poopie dogs outside - one is little and not sure how long I can leave him out.  I checked the weather channel to see if I need to go let the little one back in. It's about 57 and sunny right now - nice morning, really.   Perhaps just a bit cold for the little guy.... and then for some reason, I found myself yelling at the screen.  I do that on occasion... the medications just aren't working, I guess.  Here is a similar pic to the one that had me screaming:
 Now, again, that is not the actual one.  I got this one from google images.   But, look.... does it really matter if we "love" or "ugh!" the weather?  Will it change if we offer enough negative opinion?  Maybe I can use logic and reason to change the weather's mind?
  At what point do we simply have to acknowledge that reality is what it is, and it really doesn't matter if I "love" it or, well, "ugh!".   And, why am I screaming at my screen again?

I sure hope you "like" my post...   ok, now I'm giggling.

Oxymoron: Spendthrift Politicians declare SNAP recipients an unfair drain on the economy???

Hello My Friends;
  I work a lot of hours.  I work 40+ hours a week at my day job, then I come home to do lawns.  Right now, I have 7 customers, but that does rise and fall as people decide to do their own lawn or whatever.  Still, I struggle a bit with my bills.  I don't go out to eat, I don't buy fancy clothes or new vehicles or whatever.  I live reasonably and frugally, choosing my enjoyments for their lasting value and hoping that I spend money responsibly otherwise.
  In some ways, I do resent those who live off my taxes.  I do resent having to pay more than I would like so that others don't have to work.  But, that's just a bit of selfish thinking that creeps in.... momentarily making its way past the understanding that folks need to eat, to have a place to live, heat, water, hope even.  In a perfect world, I wouldn't be paying taxes while others aren't.  But, in a perfect world, there would be no sickness, poverty, disability, hopelessness.  No child would be hungry, cold, afraid.  No adult, either.
  So, maybe I do resent having my hard earned money go for other things than my simple comfort.  But, I gotta tell you, I have a lot more problem having my taxes going to millionaires and dictators, or buying bullets and multi-million dollar killing machines, or other such.  Of all of it, having my tax dollars help someone be healthy, helping my very neighbors, seems a great use of that money.

Congresswoman Speier Pleads to Save Food Stamps (by Jackie Speier)

“In my district, California 14, we have about 4,000 families who are on food stamps, but some of my colleagues have thousands and thousands more. Yet, they somehow feel like crusaders, like heroes when they vote to cut food stamps. Some of these same members travel to foreign countries under the guise of official business. They dine at lavish restaurants, eating steak, vodka and even caviar. They receive money to do this. That’s right, they don’t pay out of pocket for these meals.

“Let me give you a few examples: One member was given $127.41 a day for food on his trip to Argentina. He probably had a fair amount of steak. 

Another member was given $3,588 for food and lodging during a six-day trip to Russia. He probably drank a fair amount of vodka and probably even had some caviar. That particular member has 21,000 food stamp recipients in his district. One of those people who is on food stamps could live a year on what this congressman spent on food and lodging for six days.

“Another 20 members made a trip to Dublin, Ireland. They got $166 a day for food. These members didn’t pay a dime. They received almost $200 for a single meal only for themselves. Yet, for them the idea of helping fellow Americans spend less than $5 a day makes their skin crawl. The families of veterans, of farmers, of the disabled, of the working poor are not visible to them, not even when they are their own constituents.”

What If?

Have you ever played "What If"?  What if is a great exercise.  While in one extreme, it can task the ludicrous and temp silliness with plausibility.  But, in a healthy approach, it is a great way to remove the situation from the core concepts, the truth behind the facts - if you will.  So, this is a question I would send off to Mr. Lively and those of his ilk.

  You see, there are no real statements we can point to clearly showing that Christ was sexually active in any form.  We can draw some very simple conclusions, and yet they are all quite misleading with a simple point of view change.
  I would guess there is someone out there who will respond with "so what".  And, then my response would be "Exactly".

If Jesus Were Gay

By Emanuel Xavier

If Jesus were gay,

would you tattoo him to your body?

hang him from your chest?

pray to him and worship the Son of Man?

Would you still praise him

after dying for your sins?

If it was revealed Jesus kissed another man,

but not on the cheek,

would you still beg him for forgiveness?

ask him for miracles?

hope your loved ones get to meet him

in heaven?

If Jesus were gay,

and still loved by God and Mary

because he was their child after all

hailed by all angels and feared by demons,

would you still long to be healed by him?

take him into your home and comfort him?

heal his wounds and break bread with him?

Would wars be waged over religion?

Would world leaders invoke his name

for votes?

Would churches everywhere rejoice

and celebrate his life?

Would rappers still thank him

in their acceptance speeches?

If the crown of thorns

were placed on his head

to mock him as the “Queen of the Jews”

If he was whipped

because fags are considered

sadomasochistic sodomites,

If he was crucified

for the brotherhood of man

would you still repent?

Would you pray to him

when you were dying?

If he didn’t ask for you to be just like him,

If he only wanted you to love yourself,

If he asked that you not judge others,

Would you still wait for him to come back and save your soul?

Would you deny him?

Would you believe in peace?

Would there still be hate?

Would there still be hell?

Would there be laws

based on the meaning of true love?

What would Jesus do?

What would you do?

Who I am, Who you are.

Hello Friends;

  I read a post by Jay recently, and it was a great post - but it bothered me.  I couldn't put my finger on why, and that bothered me even more.  Here is his great post:  http://jayinva.blogspot.com/2013/09/top-of-mind.html
  I am a very poor "blogger friend".  I rarely comment, and it's not because I don't care.  It has more to do with the fact that it is rare that my thoughts are all that unique to what is already made in comment.  I will often simply comment to let the person know that I visited, that I care - maybe pass on a thought, but mostly to let them know that I care.  In this case, I wanted to tell Jay he was simply horny, but that would have been sarcastic and not respecting the thought and intent of his post.  I do hope you will read it!
Then there are the times when, much like a gorilla passing a playground spinning wheel, my mind is sent on a blur of odd thoughts and memories, fears, hopes and dreams by a post.  Sometimes it isn't what the blogger had in mind at all, but as a
testament to his/her ability to convey ideas that breed ideas that spin-off into to sky, there I am with a confused look on my face.  It takes me days, weeks, or never... I may never understand what is bothering me about the post, about the ideas and thoughts that I found from the post.
  Much like Jay, I've kept my true self hidden for a very long time.  Unlike Jay, I've yet to have the courage to be completely open with the world about who I am.
    Many moons ago, I made a post with an odd picture of a boy in strange garb.  I say that with the utmost respect, so please don't shoot me - well, dang, let me see if I can find it... ok, here it is.   I thought the young man beautiful, and at the risk of using a phrase that is surely to be turned, I have that same flower growing in my own garden, so it further caught my eye.  I enjoyed the colors, the odd rope thing, the flowing cover, and the weird interplay between confidence and vulnerability that I see in his expression.  I gotta say, don't like the ear thing - sorry.  Not into that.  But, no matter, I was so very drawn to the picture because, in my mind, it cried out "Here I am.  I am beautiful.  Accept me."..... ok, made me just a bit horny, too.  But, you get my point.
    Today, I saw this post, and I'm going to give you the link and the pic... enlarge the pic if you need to see it better:  http://boyboxrebellion.blogspot.com/2013/09/dolly.html

What bothered me, in Jay's post, in my own thoughts, and began to gel in this new post I saw on 'rebellion..... We are so very much more that the image we portray, the concept or judgement of those about us.  We are influenced, even to the point of allowing those things to begin to define us, but we are so very much more than that.
  Martin Luther King Jr.called out his dream of a time when people would be judged on the content of their character.  Even in such a utopian image do I find difficulty, because who says that judgement to be fair or accurate?  You see, I too have a dream:  I have a dream that Life will be considered Unique and Treasured.  I have a dream that all little boys and girls will be judged not on the colors they wear, but will be treasured for the beauty of their heart and mind, their Spirit.  That each of us will be understood as a masterpiece of Unique sculpture, impossible to be exactly reproduced and priceless.  I have a dream that all of us will treat others with respect, care and no one will be hungry, cold, afraid, alone.    Hugs.       May your dreams be Grand.