My Bad

There is a new expression that seems to be very popular. It is designed to replace the congenial socially accepted practice of saying, “I’m sorry, I just did something wrong.” 
This new phrase is “My Bad.”
 It apparently says “Oh I did wrong and it was my bad mistake” which has been shortened to “My Bad.”
Somehow, the phrase seems to emanate from a linguistically challanged time in our evolution when a conversation might sound like “Me no do good. Me Bad. Me go now.”
I know our educational system is problematic, we are falling behind in the world wide academic evaluations, and education seems to be a place politicians like to cut back spending; however, must we pride ourselves in sliding into the dark ages in communication? Maybe I’m wrong in this, but I guarantee it is not “MY BAD.” Just say’n.

Bring in the clowns

Maybe I have been through too many elelctions, but this presidential election gets to be a bigger joke all the time.
 Obviously, the Democrats aren’t having much problem, they already have a candidate. I guess that would logically leave them in a place to govern better, but alas, not so much. 
The Republicans are literally displaying a parade of clown antics that would make a circus proud. Romney is the front runner, but nobody seems to want him (go figure that one out). Herman Cain declares a flat tax of 9% (999), cant adequately explain it, doesn’t know how to stand on abortion, and will negotiate with hostage takers. (Hmmmm). Michele Bachman says if we turn the 999 tax proposal of Cain upside down it is 666 a mark of the anti-christ. (Oh wow). Rick Perry likes the flat tax, but will use 20% to stay away from Michele’s fears of the anti-christ. Unfortuately, he and Trump want to start up the “Obama birth cirtificate” question again. (Think we have a few more important problems to look into right now).
 There are so many more, but I think maybe we should all look at Jimmy McMillan, the candidate from the “Rent is Too Damn High” party. 
His political stand against Obama is that Obama is “a good-looking young guy, and I’m a handsome old dude. So there’s gonna be some competition there.” 
At least Jimmy is a clown we can laugh with and not cry about. Just Say’n

Another one bites the dust

It was interesting to view the remains of Moammar Gadhafi laying on the floor of the cell. He was definitely a nut case who caused a lot of harm to a lot of people. 
He thought he was invincible, but like his friends Saddam Hussein, Binn Laden, and others; death is once again the great equalizer. 
No fancy uniforms, no brass bands, just a corpse on the floor. I don’t know how these nuts get into power and authority, but it is reassuring to know they all go out the same way.
Now if we could just figure our how to have a world where violence wasn’t a norm, then we would really be making progress. Just Say'n

Unsweetened

I was out for dinner with my wife the other night and the waitress asked if I wanted sweetened or unsweetened ice tea with dinner. I said sweetened, but then started thinking, why did we suddenly have to rename drinks “unsweetened” when they have always been know as just regular drinks. 
Ice tea is known as regular old ice tea unless you want to add sugar and then it is sweet ice tea. 
Somehow, the sweetener became the defining part of the ice tea. It is no longer regular tea, it is unsweetened tea.
What if I want to order a dozen white roses; are they now known as the "un-red" rose?
 How about a politician, do I want an honest one or an un-honest one. Wait, that’s a different thought all together. Think I will fix a glass of regular tea with some sweetner and think about the politician thing again. Or maybe I just have too much time on my hands. Just Say'n

Taxes

A lot of talk about how we are taxed in our country, none of it seems to indicate we will be taxed less. I’m in favor of paying our taxes, as that is part of our responsibility as a citizenry who is greatly blessed.
It does bother me when a person works hard all their life, accumulates some small level of savings, pays tax on all the income it took to accumulate this savings, and then the government wants to tax it again when it is passed on to our estate. To me that is double taxing on my income.
I am looking at this flat tax theory that one candidate is expressing. Drop all the loopholes, close all the exceptions, and just tax everyone on  a flat percent. 
Now that does sound fair to me.
But I’m sure it sound unfair to others. Guess we will just have to see who screams loudedest over the next few months. Just Say'n

Protesters

Listening to some people talk about the “Wall Street Protesters” taking place around the country. These people believed that the deomonstrators were anti American and should all be arrested. They were assembling illegally and one person even said they should all be shot. REALLY!?
Seems to me this country was founded on demonstration. It is a right of all citizens to speak freely without persicution. Our entire structure of racial discrimination was forced to change because of non-violent demonstration. I lived in the 60’s when we demonstrated about everything we could think of and enjoyed the freedom.
I’ve listened to some of the “spokesmen" for the “Wall Street Protesters,” and frankly I’m not sure what they hope to accomplish. Nevertheless, thank God we live in a country where they can deomonstrate without fear. I’ve seen how other countrys deal with demonstations. It isn’t pretty. Just Say'n

WHO AM I!!!!????

Sitting in my doctors office today wondering how I became invisible. Been here for half hour waiting for an appointment scheduled for half hour ago. I see a problem as the person next to me has been waiting for an hour which means I probably have another half hour to go. That will then take me into the little office where I will probably wait another half hour.
I wasn’t sick when I came in, it was just a checkup. Nevertheless, I now am having anxiety, stress, and will probably show high blood pressure.
No wait a minute. I don’t have anyplace to go today other that this appointment. I did that knowing the doctor would run late. So I will just work on my computer, smile at the people waiting behind me, and know that life is to short to worry about an hour delay in a schedule that has no deadline. Just say’n.

Failure to Launch

I was talking to a friend the other day who is building a wing on his house so his daughter can have more space. She is 32, has a job, doesn’t pay rent, and now needs more space. I guess in this economy, it is difficult to find work and pay for a place to live, so kids are staying with the parents a lot longer. 
Nevertheless, seems to me it would be better for some of these children who are over thirty if they left home. 
When I went to college at 19, my mother redecorated my room with antiques. When I came home, it was obvious to me that my time at home was over. Now I don’t recommend that type of approach, it probably took a few years of therapy for me to recover from that change.
 However, seems that over 25 and still living at home needs some rethinking. I am sure some people will disagree. Let me know what you think. Just because I’ve lived a long time doesn’t mean I know all the answers. Just Say’n.

APP WAR

I’m just beginning to understand what APP’s are. On my phone, there are about twernty different little buttons that each take me to an new program on my phone. These buttons are APP’s or “applications” designed to provide each user some assistance in their desired quest.
I now discover that there are thousands of these apps, some of which I discover my wife has already downloaded. She now can make a figure 8 motion with her phone and it will tell her where she is on a map. I guess that is important, but seems like she already knew where she was. 
Then she had a weather app that said this week was going to be 80 degrees and sunny. But the app was reporting for someplace in Arizona, not New York. I guess it takes a while to figure these things out.

Personally, I only need one app. Angry Birds. Now that is one the greatest accomplishments of modern technology. I can’t even believe how much time I spend shooting birds against targets and then getting mad when they miss. Think I may be loosing it, Just Say'n                                          

My bad

About a month ago I was bothered about the end of summer. Fall was coming and it meant that cold weather was now upon us. I pouted, grumbled, and generally did all the things that will be totally non productive for a positive life. 
Fortunately, Mother Nature in all her beauty and wisdom decided to give us three days of beautiful summer weather this last weekend and I cherished every moment. 
Next time I grumble and complain I hope I remember this lesson. Just enjoy what is and stop worrying about what might be. Just say’n.

Up in the air

Flying! I just don’t like it at all.

There was a time when flying was a treat in which you had linen napkins on your tray, a nice warm meal, friendly attendants and fun times. Now it is just hassle, hustle and no legroom.

You pass through a security check that is designed to give you anxiety attacks.

Stripped of your shoes, belt, change, glasses, jacket and any other object they want to remove. If you’re lucky, a person who obviously doesn’t enjoy their job pats you down.

Survive that and your next step is into a cramped space where, if you’re fortunate, you may get a spot for your luggage. Then into a seat that is designed for children, glared at by the attendants as they pass by, fed pretzels and cold coffee,finally shuffled like cattle out of the plane door into a lounge filled with desperate people wanting to suffer the same experience you just survived.

It is great to get places fast, but I think I may start driving to my favorite vacation spots. Just Say’n

Head banging bird

Taking a vacation in Georgia where we are surrounded by magnificently tall Georgia Pines that sway majestically in the mountain winds. It is so relaxing to sit in the quiet of the day and be filled with the peace of the world around me. Except for one thing: Woodpeckers!

They are very unusual creatures that flit from tree to tree looking for their daily ration of insects. When they find their prey, they bang their sharp beaks into the tree about fifty times in ten seconds in order to dig out the bug.

Now I know that all things are created with a purpose, but what kind of brain damage is done with that type of action.

I’ve had days when I did bang my head on the wall a couple times, but to spend my lifetime doing that, it is beyond my comprehension.

So I guess I will just enjoy the Georgia Pines as they sway in the breeze and thank God that he didn’t make me a Woodpecker. Just Say’n

Time away

We’re spending a few days with friends down in the beautiful state of Georgia. There is something about the south that is just relaxing for both the mind and body. Everything moves slower in the south and I think that may be a good idea. 
However, the New Yorker in me has to have a few days to get in sync with the slower pace and those times can be rather difficult. 
For instance, when I am grocery shopping it takes a long time to check out. This is do mainly to the enormous amount of conversation the checkout clerk seems to enjoy with each customer.
 I appreciate the fact that they make you feel at home, but I really don’t need to hear about how much they like my choice of cookies and how they eat them in front of TV as they watch a program which was really funny last night when Bobby told Jill all about his trip to California, which is where their uncle Bill lives who was really sick but seems to be better now, thank the Lord.
 I mean, that is more information than I really ask for!
But other than that, I really do love the south. Just Say'n