Wake up people! (#1855)

There is a real war for the soul of the American people going on in politics right now and most people seem to be unaware of it. Republicans are blatantly trying to wrest the levers of power and finance from the American people and most of us are just too busy in our lives to either want to know or to care at all. Why is that? Are we a stupid group of Americans? Don't we care about the quality of life we should be living? We have one of the most transformative Presidents in decades trying his heart out to keep our country from falling into economic ruin due to many previous Republican policies but he is also trying his best to lift our country out of an economic, via income inequality, calamity continuing to happen. Yet most people are disinterested or would rather just get their talking points from dishonest Republican politicians and their "news" outlets. I am so ashamed of our American people for being so lazy about the truth and the facts of the reality we all live in. I will continue to scream the truthful facts of things from the top of my lungs and stand ready to fight anyone who deliberately lies in order to destroy the democracy we all share. I know we are better than what we have shown so far and it is not too late to turn from the mindless distractions we occupy ourselves with and take the little time needed to ask questions about why we can't have what most the rest of the world are now already enjoying. Why can't we be the leader in good things for our people instead of the followers of Republican disciples who have nothing but gloom and doom for our citizens unless they are wealthy? Most of us are not wealthy but what we do want is to be happy and we can do that by waking up to the truth of what is going on around us and voting accordingly.

A beautiful mind indeed! (#1854)

I will never understand the power of my own mind. Although I was born into an existence that both piqued my curiosity and frightened me at the same time, I have been able to handle it somehow. Thanks to the power of my mind. What my mind does for me is impossible to completely relate, but here goes. My mind allows for me to see perspectives that are different from just one view. My mind allows me to comprehensively understand the significance of change. My mind allows me to remember the best of what life has given me. My mind is indispensable to me being able to function in a congruent manner with both my principles and my hopes. My soul has it's emotional connection with my mind and of course both are as prized as the other, but my mind helps me to realize the beauty of my soul and it's desires. Without the magic my mind does with interpreting all the impulses I am bombarded with through my senses I would be a walking mass of interconnectedness. So it is with my hopes and dreams, they are simplified through my mind and offered to my understanding soul as desire and possible formative action. My mind is the grand central station of my existence and my own self awareness. Everything is cleared through my mind and that my mind has my best intentions at the core of it, is my humbled good fortune. This existence is strange and wonderful to every degree imaginable. Yet my mind allows me to find a zone of comfort within existence while giving me hope for some good something yet to occur.

Dismissing the irrational (#1853)

Life is too short to be fooling around with illogic. I have come to the point of recognizing that most people truly do understand positive thinking and policies and when they disregard positive thinking and policies it is because they have an agenda and a strategy to stop the positive thinking and policies. So I don't waste time on them anymore. I keep moving forward and turn their rhetorical nonsense down to a quiet abstraction. Again, life is too short and not doing right by all of us only continues pain and suffering, both physical and mental, to those who are continually being left behind due to strategic obstruction by those who have only their own values as priorities, instead of everyone's necessity. I have been accused of being stubborn about not taking illogic as a value but in defense of my stance, I don't accept that illogic has value. Too many of these illogic souls try so hard to fit reason into their concept regardless of whether the reason is correct. They have come to a conclusion and now try to create premises to make their arguments winnable. The problem, like all attempts at using logic, need to be built from the premises on up to a conclusion, not the other way around. Surely there are times when a conclusion can be made and then premises given within a logical equation to prove the conclusion, but the process begins at the premise level and then the conclusion becomes what is logically proven from the premises. I use logic with common sense as my gateway to debating arguments and nothing else is worthy of me wasting my time on. Life is too short to waste on irrationality and hoped for disproved conclusions.

If you are eligible to vote then vote! (#1852)

It is most irritating that folks who are eligible to vote in elections refuse to do so because they don't care enough about what is going on or they don't think their vote matters. Both excuses are wrong. For one not to care about what elections mean is for one to abdicate that what matters in life is only for others to decide. Which is wrong headed since we are all affected by the outcomes of elections. Especially in today's reality where a very polarized religious right crowd would subdue our democracy so that they could install a theocracy. Yes, a theocracy based upon biblical scriptures instead of being based upon democracy which promotes freedom, liberty, justice and equality. If you think that not caring about your franchise to vote is a solution then remember this, the same crowd that wants a theocracy over a democracy also wants to restrict your right to vote. Yes, your right to vote may no longer exist if these right wing conservatives win in the upcoming election. Maybe you think that your one vote is not worth all the time and effort it takes to actually learn the policies and cast a vote. Well, if life has proven one thing to me it is that remaining ignorant and not involving myself in the issues of the day leave me vulnerable to others who would try to define how my life is lived. The beauty of living in our democracy is that we all get to say what our lives could be like if we participate in our elections. If however we choose to let others think and act for us then don't complain when you find out that others have taken your rights and restricted your possibilities.

The theoretically wrong "right" (#1851)

I refuse to be sucked into the black hole that is the current conservative movement here in the United States of America. It makes no sense unless you consider what their policies aim to do. They want the overwhelming majority of Americans to fight and struggle over an ever shrinking piece of the American dream, of hard work and dedication to our hopes, on the more difficult chance that we can succeed in mighty ways. They are trying to rig the system even more so that those who have the sociopathy to put their own greed before community good can continue to live in the moment without regard to our collective futures. Conservatives have allowed their prejudices and their egos to dismiss reality to those who are not them with the excuse that those "others" are lazy and worthless "subhumans". As goes the Republican party so goes the idea that the "elite" are privileged with rules outside the law when it comes to their shortcomings while the rest of us are not. The conservative movement here in the US is not only stagnant but it is compulsively selective about it's backward thinking. From denying science in general to any policy that discounts capitalism over democracy. Conservatives are for religious teachings only if the religious teachings are beneficial toward the idea that individualism is sacred and community is an evil. How they pretzel themselves with their words to create the impression that they are righteous all the while destroying the very foundation of righteous living. Loving their brothers and sisters is not to be borne when the act of loving their brothers and sisters requires them to sacrifice anything they have "earned".

Democracy is the only legitimate power for rule (#1850)

There is no other political power structure in existence that compares to what democracy offers. All the other structured standards for rule have not the will of the people at it's core. We are all the people, not just the people who have the most wealth and resources. How our economy has operated over the last several millenniums has been less than equal, so any structure that allows for privilege based on wealth and resource is biased at best and manipulative at worst. So eliminating governing models based on economic values leaves us with religious and moral models to inspect. We have had religious models of rule over the course of our human history and although inspirational in thought, they lack absolute inclusion and as well degrade into authoritarianism. Any other moral structure also leaves many on the outside and cannot be sustained since the idea of morality has always been somewhat fluid in our civilization and therefore cannot be a foundation. The only structured political concept ever proven to work is a democratic model. Where all the people get a say in how our presents and futures are valued. The protection of our democracy therefore is prioritized above all other paradigms. What democracy gives us is a floor from which to propel our better and best ideas. We all get a chance to affect our civilization as best we can. Some will have great ideas and others will not but we all get to decide what and if those ideas are allowed to come to fruition. It is our duty to be involved in our democracy and should be a crime if not utilized in basic ways. Yes, we should feel a punishment for not protecting our democracy through participation. As well we should also feel a benefit from participation as a means to encourage participation.

What could we humans become? (#1849)

The thought of us not being like who we are now is rarely brought up in normal discussions but just how cool would it be for us to imagine what we could become like? Now most of us free thinking individuals of an enlightened persuasion believe that we humans have evolved over time to become who we are now. But if the same amount of were to elapse what would we humans appear to be and what abilities would we have? With all the technology and scientific advancements being discovered, we surely won't be like who we are now. The advancement of biological genetics along with artificially intelligent robotics, one could easily imagine themselves with a hybrid human body capable of extended longevity and increased durability. Now the ethics and morality of such thinking must of course have it's argument and surely that is proper and correct, but the advancing of time and discovery will not be placated. So in conjunction with the best of our natures our bodies may become much more applicable to living in this earthly existence and any other existence that awaits us in the Universe. Of course there will be religious objections about how we were created as we are and no one should "mess" with that, but religious objections of this nature cannot stand the scrutiny of facts and logic. I do appreciate the caution that religion forwards but not the grounds for it's foundation. We can achieve a greater "post" human species without losing the principles by which we live. Finding the good and the great about our caring and our wondering is still at the heart of whatever modified human species we could and I may say here, should become.

The falsity of privilege (#1848)

It is to our eternal shame that too many of our societies nurture and protect the concept of privilege. By doing so we continue to subjugate those who are not privileged as lesser than and all that goes with that. Notwithstanding the hateful and cowardly comments of Republican spokesman Ted Nugent describing our President as a mongrel, a lesser species than himself, we continue to breed the nonsensical idea that equality is only for those who deserve it. Only the petty and fearful are capable of living in a paradigm where they must protect themselves from equality. No one human is better or worse than another human being unless of course we are comparing thoughts and actions. We are all the same based upon science and biology. So anyone or any organization that separates out humans from other humans based solely upon prejudice and fear, is false and not worthy of recognition. The absurdity of allowing equality to some while denying that same equality to another is an example of privilege as it is being practiced far too much. When it all boils down to whom is denying and allowing privilege, it is clear that like protects like, so when differences are observed based upon nothing more than appearance, like denies different. The only way to subdue and eliminate privilege is to order a system that has only simple rules to follow. Where all have a voice without constraint and all have opportunity without restriction. Privilege is a by-product of institutionalized fear and the dismantling of that same institutionalized fear is required through courage and force of will.

Rebooting my spirit (#1847)

Everyday I wake up is a new reboot to my life and that is not new, but when I am not feeling my best during my waking hours I have found a way to "dump the funk" and start afresh. I do this through listening to the music that has touched my soul from the beginning of my life until now and beyond. There is something about harmonic waves that have a soothing and invigorating genesis on my spirit. I know I am not the only one since my experiences in life have shown me this, as well as helping me it does help others also. It is like music is a salve to whatever ails us for the most part. I would be remiss if I also didn't mention that being selfless also helps reboot me but for all the little annoyances in life that cannot always be easily cured through selflessness, there is always some music close enough to bring me out of whatever has temporarily sunk my spirit. It is as if the waves generated by the sounds of the music speak to my soul and allows my spirit to respond in a way that releases the angst and gives my being a refreshing. I interchange soul and spirit often since for me they seem to be "joined at the hip" with little distinction between them. I suppose my soul has a deep conscious for all things while my spirit is the effervescence of my distinct individualism. Regardless, they both have the responsibility of satisfying the care and wonder that make up who I am. So staying on top of my best nature is my goal and getting to the point of beginning to be my best is served well by the foundation of welcome music. 

Simple minded arrogant people (#1846)

It is as if many people cannot see the forest for the trees. The bigger picture seems to get lost when all some will do is make their life better regardless of the consequences. Unfortunately we have many just like that as our political leaders. Many from the Republican party but also a few from the Democrats. I am a Democrat because fortunately, Democrats for the most part, are able to see the bigger picture about how our society should be a pleasure and a privilege to be part of instead of like Republicans who can only see the uneven scrambling of the survival of the fittest rationale. To be simple minded and arrogant is a hopeless and dangerous combination that has no good outcome coming forward. I cannot say this enough, our political leaders must put humility first in their reasoning to forward our society's ambitions. Yet what we find instead in too many of our political leaders is a sense of entitlement and privilege that does not extend to those who have voted for them and those who are at their mercy. The service of public office is not some coronation of power consolidation with greed and lust at it's core. It is a humbling and soul searching responsibility to tackle the ills and misadventures our society still is encountering from nefarious policies and twisted mental acceptances of our past. Our leaders should inspire courage as well as set an example that all can admire and respect. We people need leaders who place themselves last before their constituents and seek humility in all their decisions that would and should improve our lives in intelligent and caring fashions.

Intermittent moments of brillance (#1845)

I can say this much about how my mind works, it is sporadic when it comes to a light bulb going off in my head. I had an example of it this morning. I have been putting up with a start up issue on my computer for many months and although it was a minor issue, it was like a small sliver in my hand, it bothered me. Well this morning I had a thought, and through following that thought I fixed the minor start up problem and it is no more. Funny how after many months of an irritation, I was able to spend about 10 minutes of my time to rectify it. Why didn't that thought of how to fix it come to me earlier? Like I said, my moments of brilliance are intermittent. What I do take from this is that if I am patient long enough a problem does eventually receive a solution. The moral is comforting although not efficient. What I also take from this is that my mind locks into a perspective and is not quickly movable. In other words, I stay in a mental block on how to address a problem with my own convenience at stake far too long. I can't say that I am as mind blocked on issues that effect the rest of us but for myself I seem to give little mental effort to challenge my own dimensions where my own efficiency is concerned. That is okay though since I have learned to live with my self frustrations my whole life and again I have the fortune to learn the lesson of patience. Someday though I hope I can elevate my mind to solve, eventually simple and workable solutions that are easily applicable to my own personal problems. 

When money is more important than people (#1844)

We know this dilemma all too well. It seems that obtaining money, either through work or loan, the cost is high for we humans without and low for those who already have it. Somehow our laws and thinking on this makes it acceptable to treat people as worthless and money as everything. Now I know it isn't that extreme on either side but it feels like it. The utility of money is an exchange for barter only but we have changed and added to that definition. Now we treat money as some status of worth which we place on other humans. It is the greed for money and our own low self esteem that has allowed this paradigm to exist. It is fostered by those who have an advantage and the privilege of controlling our political/economical power structure. I am but just one voice among a few who would like to see money devalued to it's original intent of just being currency used for exchange. For me, each human has an unlimited potential for value and as such each individual human should be allocated some monetary sum to begin life with. Think about this, we are all just living on this planet for a while and hopefully we will move on to other planets as a purposeful priority. We are not here just to accumulate money and hoard it for our pleasure. Our society of humans must recognize that all of us living humans deserve the dignity of life we claim so vigilantly for ourselves. So our political and economical system must reflect our reality. The days of survival of the fittest should be behind us and the age of enlightened thinking and respectful living should be before us.

My goodbye for posterity (#1843)

No, I am not going anywhere that I know of. However before I do leave this existence it is prudent of me to share that I will miss this existence. It is not a perfect existence nor has it been without mighty struggles at times, yet overall, I am glad I had a life here on Earth despite all my faults and the faults within our civilization. I wish I could have learned more about our Universe since it seems that exploring space outside our planet has come to no immediate priority for our species at the end of my life cycle, yet what I have learned is remarkable and has quenched my curiosity somewhat. I have enjoyed my youth and all the tumultuous emotions that experience afforded me. I have loved and I have hated to some degree as real feelings within me. Although the hated part is not recommended, the loved part is. I have found and experienced my passion for some people and for a few causes which served to define to myself who I am and what I am capable of. I still do carry many of my passions for others and for principles that soar my spirit. What I will miss are the sights and sounds this planet has offered. I will miss the taste of sweets and sours of all varieties and I will miss the touch and smell of the women who found themselves in my arms. What I will miss most of all though is my mind. I will miss the imaginations and creations of my inner thoughts that could have been more. While my body continues to fade from it's once sturdy frame, my mind keeps me as it always has, a young boy who found himself living in a world with unlimited possibilities if only it would be.

Everything starts from within us (#1842)

I am not a mixture of conundrums, I actually have an idea about who I am and what I want to accomplish in life. It took me a while to figure that out but once I realized that I have control over who I am, despite the struggle I have with my own shortcomings, I was able to define to myself what my goals in life are and will be going forward. I "found myself" such as it is. Instead of molding myself to the whims of society, I found that honorable principles should and do guide my life. I gave up being selfish, such as I am able, and instead focused my energy on keeping positive while doing good things for others. Now most of the time a side effect of doing good things for others actually ends up being good for me but that is an effect not the cause. Although I will say that I know that when I can do something from me out to others I am always left with a satisfaction that brings me a joyful peace. It reminds me of how sublimity might be. The radiance that emanates from my soul after being selfless is so enjoyable that I can't but help to want more and more. They say that money can't buy everything and that is hard to imagine given how our society worships at it's greedy altar, but for sure money cannot buy inner peace that radiates from the inside out. Like all things we want to own for ourselves or at least control the thoughts and actions of coming from within us, it takes courage to accept that the buck stops with each of us. We have to have the strength of conviction and the principled perseverance to allow ourselves the dignity of our own individualism within our contract of community.

Why we celebrate (#1841)

Our lives are so complicated these days so it is necessary for us to have special calender days to celebrate the events in life that we can show the world. Given our own devices for remembering what is important to us many of us would likely fail on a consistent basis. That life is hard enough just getting from the beginning of one day to the end of that same day, it is good that we are reminded of why we strive so hard to make our lives better. So today is another of those days where we can honor our good fortune. When something good is attained or achieved it is of great value to share that with those who care enough to appreciate the success. We often lose sight of our values attained, but in keeping with a great tradition, we are afforded an opportunity to express our good fortune through a marked day to remember. These days that are set aside to celebrate what is best about our society are vital in that we in common can say to existence that despite the chaos and uncertainty of our futures, we appreciate the benefits we can assimilate now. These marked calender days highlight the natural instinct of our care for each other in special ways that spur our imaginations to even greater appreciation. When we have some special calender day for all that we value then we shall have achieved a bountiful life that demands to be known by all the world. The better and best of who we are continue to be the most purposeful way to live our lives and acknowledging those purposeful events is how we pass on our values for those who follow us to live by example or improve upon.

The absurdity of intentionally sabotaging the good (#1840)

Some people have to be right so badly that they are willing to destroy everything around them in order to find an excuse that justifies them. They are incapable of changing with the evidence and instead attack the messenger or the process of logic from whence the evidence is derived as a means to continue with their absurdity. Why is it that some of us can only see the world through a narrow field of view? It has a lot to do with their own sense of insecurity and their hold on to whatever they consider to be wisdom. No one likes to have their foundational beliefs questioned and then proven wrong, no one! However, it happens all the time to the best of us and although it is painful to realize that we are mistaken, it is far better to know as soon as possible so that we can make adjustments and continue moving forward. No one thinks less of a person who has learned a new concept to add to their overall perspective, but we do think less of those who refuse to learn for the sake of pride or misplaced faith. For those who choose to live in intransigence on the facts of reality, there is a consequence the rest of us must bear. We are all in this together and when some of us are not rationalizing through common sense and logic then the rest of us are stuck with nonsense and irrationality mixed with our progressive modernity. We all need to be pulling our proverbial oars in the right direction. When we don't the direction we are rowing becomes chaotic at best. One thing all of us need to remember and remember well, we are not the voice or mind of perfection. We are not the one and only in life. We are just a cog in the stream of life that has endured before us and will endure after we are gone.

Fear is not be our motivator, curiosity is (#1839)

The Republicans think that if we all are in fear of our lives we would be a better society. Their logic goes somewhat like this; if we have no social safety net then we will work harder to make sure we have what we need to survive. In a perfect societal structure this logic is still wrong. Some don't have the mental stability to take care of themselves and others are too old, too young, too weak and too infirmed to take care of their own needs. Now we don't live in a perfect world so it is even harder because right now there are not enough job opportunities to go around for everyone. Not only that the ones who control the currency are not in a sharing mood unless we know someone or are willing to mortgage everything we have in order to secure a loan. Now those who already have currency can surely get more easily, but the many who don't are less fortunate in trying to start a venture. So although Republicans like to think in the abstract that fear is a great motivator, what fear is in reality, is quite different. It is a depressing, soul crushing experience when being felt in conjunction with no solution. We Democrats have a different perspective on what motivates our citizens best to build better lives and that is education. When we release the curiosity within ourselves we begin to change our outlook on what is possible not only for ourselves but for those around us. Our imaginations are expanded which not only serves to create new ideas about our current society but also about our future one. Fear is a tactic of those who cannot envision the possible, instead it is their way of maintaining their own sense of status quo. Well we are not about marking time, we are about advancing into time and space with all the care and curiosity we can generate.

Build up the good or tear down the good; a tale of two political parties (#1838)

Naturally it is all in what is defined as good so let me give just a few examples. Social Security/healthcare for our elders, disabled and poor; unemployment for our out of work; treating women equally and voting rights for all citizens. The Democrats, who want to build on the good have been striving hard to make that happen while the Republicans, who want to tear down the good, have been striving equally hard to keep any progress on the good coming to fruition. In fact, the Republicans have been busy as well weakening what exists now with the good. It is their overall strategy to destroy government care for those most vulnerable while restricting rights to women and voters. Somehow they have gotten the notion in their heads that only some deserve guaranteed rights while many "others" do not. Democrats see the situation much differently. They see the world as a union of humans who are interconnected. That we all have a voice, a vote and the right to be treated equally regardless of any "other" difference. Democrats see each human as a human, not like Republicans, who see each human as a subset of what they think humanity should be. All rights are established at the concept of human and need no further calculation, excepting limitations for harm we impose on all of ourselves. The Republicans and their go-it-alone strategy for society only rewards those who are willing to put greed, lust or power ahead of honor, duty and humility. We humans are naturally caring and curious about our existence and the idea that Republicans and their nasty brutish concept of humanity is worth following is delusional as well as ruthless.

Knowing our numbers and letters gives us freedom (#1837)

Mastering the basics of numbers and letters is the first step toward self sufficiency. When we can do equations and create sentences of our own, we have become independent from those who would calculate for us and think for us. Life on Earth is remarkable and some basic understanding of life's function within our understanding is vital to our being able to enjoy the total life experience. Too many of us are always eager to avoid learning when we can otherwise take a shortcut and use someone else's conclusions for our own. What is important is not that the conclusion may satisfy some need within our psyche, but more important is the thought process that gets us to that conclusion. Too many of us reach our conclusions without understanding the premises that built it. If we did we would surely come to a different conclusion more often. What has happened is we have become lazy about logic and it's significance to our own independence. When we can calculate numbers in ways that give us insight into what our possibilities are we then start from a place where we know we factually are. When we can follow the logic of words and their meanings to simple and complex rationales we also become independent from those who use our need for them to benefit themselves. This all starts from the idea that any shortcut is a good shortcut. Life is not about taking shortcuts, it is about living to the fullest within every step we take. Not giving away a single minute of our life to others who have no idea the intent of our own personal being. We all need to force ourselves to begin from the beginning if necessary in order to master our numbers and letters.

The struggle of life is natural (#1836)

There is some debate going on about whether it is more humane to end the life of an animal than to let it survive on it's own. This is a hard fact of reality that some animals are tortured by their existence and that mercy may better be applied to ending it's life instead of letting it continue to suffer. That is a solution but a solution without a prevention. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is an axiom that can be applied to most anything we can imagine. So instead of "solving" our wounded consciousnesses with a mercy killing, we may better put our time toward policies that actually lead to helping these cursed beings in ways that reduce their suffering for the crime of existing. We are the dominant species at this time on this planet and although we have many problems to sort through as to our own humanity, we must be able to multi-task on behalf of our sacred animal kingdom as well. As it is natural for we humans to struggle to survive I see no difference in our lesser animals having the same prodigious nature. My own pierced emotions about the mighty struggle some of our lesser animal friends endure is not to be soothed by committing a mercy death when other options are available. Surely when an animal is wounded severely without hope of restoration then a merciful death is humane. But only in that extreme circumstance is it humane to do so. Killing off animals who we think are struggling to survive in our cement, metal and plastic world because it offends our dignity, is not enough of a reason to end the life of a being. I am not to allow my sense of dominion to ease my own consciousness because I see the indignity we place upon the lesser animals and find that eliminating them is my only conscious salve.

We are all spiritual (#1835)

This is incontrovertible. All of us have some form of spiritualism that helps us to understand our connectivity to existence and possibly beyond. It comes from our conscious recognition and the one word we all subscribe to, why? "I think therefore I am"-Rene Descartes; is a concept that is not an absolute valid proof, as we could just be imagining we exist and that we can reason only in our imagining. However, it is sufficient for us to consider that we do exist and it then allows us to build from that. Within all of us is a soul, an entity that is not visible nor identifiable as to any part of our body, yet we know it is there within us. Our soul acts as our emotional compass, giving us joy and suffering in doses great and small. It is also that part of us that recognizes compatibility. We have each other to comfort and share with that our soul recognizes as necessary to our well being. There is a peaceful commonality to the knowledge that we are not alone in our existence. As our species continues to ask why, we start to understand that we were not just placed here on this planet out of nowhere. We are part of what is happening in the Universe and as well made up of the same energy that exists in the Universe. As such, we find that not only are we connected to each other through similarity and genetic code, we are also connected to existence through atoms and molecules. This is where our shared spirituality comes in. Now some of us transfer our spirituality into a form that resembles many religions of the world, and some others transfer their spirituality into a mixture of cosmic "stew", while still others consider no transference at all and instead refuse to identify any knowable understanding for their spirituality. Despite whether we interpret our spirituality or not, it is there within all of us doing what we need it to do to get through all the why's of this existence.

The Superhero in all of us (#1834)

We all have this instinct within us to save the day and bring about something special. I know I live for moments when my thoughts or actions might create an outcome that gives me a sense of kinship with the heroic figures of all time. I know for me that I need to be on the right of humanity when I choose to take up the defense or promotion of an ideal or cause. I have to know in my soul that what I am doing is right and good. It is the genesis of who I am and that was a choice I made long ago. I want to feel alive in what I do, even when I lose at my battles. It is far better than winning at something wrong and feeling that dead feeling inside for all the advantage I might have gained at others' expense. Life as a hero is a goal everyone should experience even if being the hero is in small ways every day. I don't know why we are alive or for that matter why any of us exist other than serendipity, but I do know what it feels like to be a heroic figure, even if for only a moment, and nothing much in existence compares to it. I know we get caught up in theoretical posturing on how our society should operate but while we are debating the issues of the day we must never forget that we are alive only for a short time and that life truly is about the living of it, not the theory of it. What we do and think matters and if our thoughts and actions aren't funneled toward demonstrating life in real time with real tangible results then we are just playing at life as spectators and not experiencing it. I choose to try to be a heroic figure because it displays what is best about our species and for that I am privileged to every once in awhile experience that magnificent sense of understanding.

Welcoming principles and firm conviction (#1833)

That which is within me. I know what is right and good and I don't falter in defending what is right and good. I love my life as me, however, most everything outside me is less than love worthy. So it is with resolve that I must not allow the less to become acceptable when a sure fire solution is available. Life really can be simple if we just trust our better natures to lead us to the truth of things. Now our better natures are the starting point and from there we need to research and learn how to make our better natures efficiently productive. What we all must do as well is take into consideration everyone, not just ourselves or our own view of who is worthy or not. There can be no prejudice in our better natures. All of life is unique and therefore beyond any judgement me may personally want to apply to it. That is why I titled this post with the term "welcoming principles". If we can only see beyond our own fears we would see a dynamic universe of life just waiting to experience this existence with their full potential. Any and all applications of societal structure that discounts that simple logic needs to be removed. We are the masters of our own reality despite the fears of those who see change as a danger to themselves. When the best of who we are is exposed to the light of day all of us are then uplifted to a new reality that only rewards the good we do. How can fear exist when the good is all we celebrate? Surely defining good within a society takes extraordinary determination and the conviction of our wills to give all of us the beginnings in life that we all expect for ourselves in a truly free and opportunity-filled society. Extraordinary determination and conviction of our wills aside, defining good is more simply done when we all pull together to help instead of hurt.

The intentional deceitful (#1832)

The case of too many of us not being informed enough about many subjects so we instead defer to sources or people who we have put some faith in without knowing for sure if they are intellectually honest. I am guilty of this many times over the course of my life. I choose to take someone else's position because somehow it fit the narrative of what I thought should be correct without knowing all the factors involved. A short cut if you will allow me to describe it as. I found that sounding smart sometimes actually took the place of being smart. Think of all the time I saved not having to actually research the arguments for and against some policies. Well that kind of thinking came back to shame me when I tried it against people who had actually learned the subject of our discussion. So instead of sounding important and knowledgeable I came off as someone who was ill prepared and not worthy of respect. I learned my lesson those many years ago and now I try my best to actually know what I am talking about before I talk about it. Or I admit right at the beginning that I am not sure since I didn't or don't know all the factors involved. It is truth that saved me and is now my guiding principle in matters of thought and practice. I actually don't mind admitting when I am proven wrong and even more I change my outlook based upon better information. I am not glued to any one idea of truth if that very same truth can be enlightened to a greater truth. Such is my life now, I don't try to impress anyone with my ability to be right, instead I just try to pass along information to help anyone who may realize it helps them. I have my positions on certain policies but not because I took someone else's position but because I actually learned mine through the proper research. 

Would've should've could've (#1831)

No this isn't a grammar lesson, it is a sense of loss about what might have been. All morning I have been remembering a shared love affair with a girl I had about 40 years ago. She and I were split apart by her grandmother with a threat to me in no uncertain terms at all. Her Grandmother's threat to ruin my life, her granddaughter being 17 and me being 19 was real enough to work given the law and the grandmother's resources, would have been especially unkind to me, and sufficiently ended the bond of two young souls who had found in each other such exceeding comfort and care. We were easily separated since I was committed to where I was and the grandmother whisked the daughter away from any chance of ever seeing me again. A common enough tale I think but what eats at me is that despite my physical strength and resolved love for my girl, I couldn't stop the will and the wealthy power the grandmother moved against me. Why the grandmother had to do what she did surely was justified in her own mind. I could only think that our economic class status had everything to do with it. What the grandmother failed to realize is that both my girl and myself  saw no differences with each other. We only wanted to start out our lives together and bring forth whatever we hoped and dreamed for. I have had so many life lessons while I have been here on this planet and this is just another that has shaped the person I have become. I am not bitter toward the grandmother, however I do now defend against her type of actions wherever I see them. While we both moved on from our relationship, I know I have had the occasional reflection of what might have been. Maybe some day we will cross paths again and this time we won't have some meddling parent to destroy us. 

Humble pie (#1830)

Tastes so good when I know it is the right thing to eat. lol. I am in a constant mode of being reminded that life isn't about what I want but it is about what is right and good. The two with me are not joined at the hip so I have to be diligent about what I think and say and what upon reflection I end up doing differently. It is okay to admit when I am wrong, in fact it is how I best learn about my own thought process and what is truly a better way of thinking. I don't care about being humbled in that I have been humbled so many times in my life that it is more second nature than the exception. The intent of my actions will undoubtedly always come to the fore when I am questioned about my choices in life but regardless of any ego that may still cling to my psyche, I will get where I need to be as to what is right and good. What is even more exceptional is that I have Internet friends who will call me out on choices I make with unbiased interest while being kind enough not to smoke my ass as an incompetent. lol. The idea of community is never stronger than when many of us share our own knowledge with others with only the intent to improve our lives. It is always incumbent upon me to recognize the selfishness of my own position and regulate it toward a more inclusive outcome. Even when it only concerns choices I make for myself. I need to be an example of all the battles for good out there not just the ones that pique my own personal interest. Anyway, this morning has been good for my soul since I find that getting to be a better person is always more acceptable than demanding to be a lesser one.

Let the good outweigh the bad in our lives (#1829)

When at the end of my life I am hoping that the good I have done will tip the scales and leave the bad wanting. We are all culpable for both aspects of what we have done with our lives. It is just that the good is a legacy that validates humanity as truly the only species that knowingly, most chooses the better and best when given a conscious choice. Our species is the only one on this planet that has the ability to adapt logically and psychologically to our surroundings with reason. Our species is superior to all other life forms that we know of because we can reason and act accordingly. Now other forms of life on our planet can do simple reason and act but their upper limit is arguably well below our more complex and nuanced abilities. As such we are unique in all the Universe as far as we know. I always caveat putting we humans in the category of being the most of anything given that there is so much we don't know as yet. But that we know of no other species whose capabilities come close to ours I can at least say that we have no known match. Such an awesome advantage and yet, responsibility we own. I say responsibility because it is easy enough for us to let our minds wander about our own greatness and unique abilities that we forget that we are also frail and dependent upon this planet and all outside of it for our very existence. That is why I remain a humble man who can keep the perspective I do, which is to enjoy the life I have while helping others do the same. I will live for a while and then I will die and for my part the living part is all about what good I can do while avoiding the bad which is not well for my personal nature.

Compromise on one side is admitting defeat (#1828)

When one political party is the only one being responsible about compromising to get our country moving forward and the other party is not responsible about honest compromise then any attempt to compromise is not compromise but in effect admitting defeat. So the answer to negotiating with them is to not negotiate but to actually ignore them. While in the past our country has survived arguably well with compromise between the parties it was because the two parties recognized that elections have consequences and the overall majority party would set the agenda and then the two parties would compromise within those parameters. What we have now is the overall minority party, Republicans, who are instead trying to set the agenda through attempting to blackmail the majority party, Democrats, into accepting their agenda. How can Republicans blackmail the Democrats into accepting their agenda? It is because although the Republicans are the overall minority party, they have a majority in the House of Representatives, and thus control the money that the government needs to operate. So instead of accepting the will of the voters through the last two rounds of elections, they are threatening to default on our national debts as blackmail for them to lead as if they were the majority. So what is the solution to this? Like I stated earlier, ignore them and do what we democrats can do without them. They will do what they will do and if defaulting on our national debt is what they do then it is their choice to own. We have elections again this November and if Republicans want to have a debt ceiling default as their accomplishment coming into the election so be it.