A New Beginning

 Let me start with an introduction. It's been a long time since I last wrote an entry for this blog and I think it appropriate to tell you who I am. I live (for the moment) near the geographical center of the continental United States. Old enough to remember WW2 and the bright days before counterculture and Covid came into our lives. After several careers on both the east and west coasts I retired and took up a fresh new career as a mediator.

Mediators are people who by inclination and training want to help people who are in conflict and don't know how to resolve their problem. It could be neighbors squabbling over minor things, couples divorcing and not knowing how to split the assets, the kids or the pets. Companies fighting over contract issues or employees feeling discriminated against. Wherever there is human interaction there is a chance for dispute and that's where I come in. Sometimes the parties call me, often the courts ask me to step in and resolve the issue before it comes to trial and they always expect me to be a neutral party who can guide them to a way of fixing things.

After way too many years I've come back to a blog that I started more than a decade ago and then let die of neglect. When I read over some of my original mental rambles that I had the hutzpah to publish, I realize that my outlook on life has changed since then. While I'm still a curmudgeon, I'm now more willing to laugh at myself (despite what My Lovely Lady thinks) and the crazy world we all live in, The Covid 19 pandemic and the response to its impact by politicians and the public made me realize that laughter is truly the better medicine and that at my age I have the opportunity to laugh at myself and not worry too much about how others might react if I also laugh at (or with) them.

My Lovely Lady (who likes to be called CC) has several blogs including a blog build around animals and what they can teach us if we are willing to listen, She has spent her life in veterinary medicine and emergency management doing good things for others. I work with people and try to get them to resolve their problems before resorting to inappropriate behavior, between the two of us I think we have our world covered.

When I listen to, or read the news it often talks about the negatives things that are clouding our days. What I would like to do with this blog is to talk about the low level human things that happen to us every day. sometimes good, occasionally bad, and even humorous at times. But I'll always try to keep it at the human level and how I see events effecting our lives. It's the small things that really count.

for example: One of the teenage daughters who lives along our street is a cello player and recently she was practicing her musical skills outside. It was a worm and pleasant Sunday evening and within a few minutes, neighbors, all carrying chairs congregated on the driveway to enjoy a very impromptu concert. Masks were worn, social distancing was observed and people bonded in the enjoyment of an informal musical interlude.

Tor a few moments in time working from home, pandemic restrictions and political interference in our personal lives was ignored and we all just enjoyed the music and delight of a young lady in displaying her skill. It was not a momentous moment in time but it brought a pleasant end to the weekend, made it possible for us to recharge our emotional batteries and allowed us to merge as a group of neighbors rather than people who happen to live on the same block.

Life is made interesting by the little things and I hope I can encourage you to bear with me as I talk about the little things that have caught my eye. It will be an interesting excursion for me, and I hope for you.

Copied ... But Appreciated

Merry Christmas

To all who read this blog. I hope you have a most wonderful Christmas and a great coming year.

To those who have never read this blog, I wish you a Merry Christmas.

Connecticut has become a zombie state

The governor is cheering the fact that the legislature has passed a bill that orders state agencies not to approve or grant any permit to individuals who have been put on the Federal no fly list. This action was taken after the President mentioned using executive action to achieve the same goal at Federal level.

That's just wrong ... and is possibly illegal.

The rights of the people, as stated in the Constitution and law can only be modified by action of the legislature. The no fly list is an administrative action by a federal agency and is kept secret by that same agency. In fact, the process used to decide who will be enshrined on the list is classified and not available to the public.

Now we have a state saying that a secret administrative decision by a Star Chamber can be used to deny an individual rights that are permissible by law. The Second Amendment protagonists are up in arms (not sure if that was an intentional pun) but everyone needs to be aware that the concept behind these actions can and will be abrogated by fiat.

If you are on a "List" you can be denied a professional license, a business license, a technical license and even a drivers license if a state employee decides that you are an "enemy of the state". That is not what the Constitution says and we need to be concerned about the direction society is being driven by those who believe they know better than you or me.  

Question of the day

Watching the media make up and spin the story of the San Bernardino terrorist incident there is not a lot I can say in response. The picture says what I'm thinking

9 Things to keep in mind

This has been around for years, but it is always topical

9 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND TODAY

 

#9   Death is the number 1 killer in the world.

 

#8   Life is sexually transmitted.

 

#7   Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

 

#6   Men have two motivations: hunger and hanky panky, and they can't tell them apart.  If you see a gleam in his eyes, make him a sandwich.

 

#5   Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day.  Teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks, months, maybe years.

 

#4   Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in the hospital, dying of nothing.

 

#3   All of us could take a lesson from the weather.  It pays no attention to criticism.

 

#2   In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird.  Now the world is weird, and people take Prozac to make it normal.

 

#1   Life is like a jar of jalapeno peppers.  What you do today may be a burning issue tomorrow.

For Adults Only

This past week has taught me that "higher education" does not necessarily result in "higher intelligence". My mind has a difficult time grasping the concept that people need Trigger Warnings that a discussion or an article might, just might offend the listener/reader. Or that people require a Safe Space where they don't have to have reality intrude on their concept of self.

If you believe in closing your mind to other ideas and if you feel threatened by other peoples thoughts I suggest you stop reading now:

If you need a Trigger Warning or a Safe Space, you are a child who should not be allowed out in public without a responsible adult to watch over you.

Because you are not an adult.

An adult accepts resonsibility for their own actions.

An adult isn't offended by someone who disagrees with them.

An adult knows how to have reasoned discourse without getting emotional.

An adult does not require others to support him/her.

An adult knows that words are just that, words.

An adult knows that their actions define who they are, not what others may think or feel about them.

A child, throws tantrums when they do not get their way.

A child wants others to do everything for them.

A child screams and yells at others when their own wishes and desires are not met.

A child cannot stand not  being the center of attention and being pampered.

A child is incapable of having reasoned discourse or a civil conversation.


So if you need a "Trigger Warning" or a "Safe Space" you are NOT an Adult.

You are a CHILD.

Maybe it's time you grow up like the rest of us.  and if someone who claims to be an adult tells you that you need those warnings and spaces?  They are simply children trying to masquerade as an adult, and trying to lead you into being just as self centered and spoiled as they are.