This time of year, at least in this part of the country, nasal/chest congestion complaints fill the air.

So, with that in mind, I’m moving my imaginary international troops into Libya and declaring a global free-trade zone; also, sending UN troops to Bahrain to protect against invading Saudi forces.

Oh wait.  I’m sorry, skip that last part.  I forgot I eliminated political borders in this realm.  Everything goes, doesn’t it?

Let’s fight Saudi forces with U.S. forces and pit American fighting weaponry against itself.  I’m sure the Iranian leaders would love to see that!  I’d love to see it spill over into Iranian airspace, a simple excuse for taking care of paramilitary cyberwarriors hiding behind computer screens.

Are we a behind-the-times species acting like it’s still a few packs of primates running from large predators?

My network demonstrated its power in Chile, China, New Zealand, and Japan.  Time to stir up the sands of the Middle East and show how fleeting oil power really is, isn’t it?  One scientist suggested twisting the magnetic poles out of shape a little faster, breaking apart the mantle and sucking raw oil reserves down into the core.

Is there not another planet to play with?  Is Carlos Slim the best the world has to offer?

This, there, another.

Word trails trailing off into infinity…

Infernal internal combustion engines.

The shadow of a car making an outline of the Penn State Litany Nylon logo.

A mother in-law needing emotional support more than a cat needs dental work.

Ants roaming the house while the yard gets soaked with rain.

Giving over to randomness to prove that randomness is the variation in predictable patterns.

Watching family members insist the mother/grandmother must give up her way of life for their love and support (and their convenience, coincidentally), not the other way around.

Hearing so many others in nursing homes tell the same story – “my [family relation] felt it was in my best interest to move closer to him/her.”

I want to die where I was most comfortable, not where it was convenient for those taking care of me who’ll end up inevitably extending my life in strange surroundings which I’ll never enjoy as much as I enjoyed my comfort zone.  Do us both a favour – put me in a wheelchair and push me into the woods behind my house on a cold winter’s night, with a beer in one hand and a tall glass of whiskey in the other.

Bumper sticker on Honda CR-V near Alabama A&M campus – “My karma ran over your dogma.”

I can’t imagine having to worry about a slow decline or sudden weakness in my old age and afraid to tell my family relations I don’t feel well, knowing they’re just waiting for an excuse to move me to their comfort zone, thinking little of what “home” means to me, not them.

I gave in to temptation today.  Yes, my flesh is weak.  I bought my wife and me six, count them, SIX cupcakes decorated in green and white for St. Patrick’s Day, courtesy of Publix and David (customer service team leader) and Nathan, bagger supreme.

During a walk up and down the street, I played chase with a neighbour’s little boxer puppy and had fun like a kid again.

Do you manage the IT department of your company?  If so, do you read or have an employee read/scan the emails of employees/executives for company security purposes?  Do you archive IM sessions and SMS text messages sent from company smartphones?  Do you monitor IP traffic passing through the airwaves of company property?  Do you use GPS trackers in company cars and company credit cards?  Are you part of a larger network paid to keep tabs on specific individuals for a purpose that may or may not coincide with company policy?  Do you secretly pay car rental companies to provide tracking data and private investigators, when off-the-books recordkeeping is absolutely necessary?

Thank goodness, no one wants to keep me alive for his/her sake, except my wife, of course, most days, anyway. 😉

Otherwise, as my sister says, it’ll just be a matter of managing my monetary resources to stretch them as much as possible to provide me the comfort and care that is as humane as I would choose to treat my aging pets.

Vanna, I’m glad you still have that smile.

Claire, sorry to hear about your transportation vehicle.

Holding seven billion people and the supporting global ecosystem in my hand, I ask myself what tearing down and rebuilding the system to my specifications (with guidance by the Committee, as always) will bring to future generations unaware of invisible hands directing their ancestors’ actions.

Thank goodness, I’m not the only one.

It’s all about the paradigm of the network in today’s pallid parlour parleying parlance.

If you can’t harness the Sun, then grab le règne by the horns.

My worst torture – being the eldest male at a funeral and filling up my thoughts with more and more new comedy sketches about the dead but mentally shutting down and going into automaton mode while having to play the part of the serious wise elder, not the wise guy.

Celebrate living by having fun – there’s plenty of time to be dead serious.

Most of us grew up some place we call local and probably “home.”  Don’t feel sorry for everyone else – just treat them like good family members, with a little love and gentle humour to help lighten the burden of daily living.

Besides, Earth is home to all of us, no matter how we treat it or each other.

Hard to believe the Bristol race track is as old as I am.  My father says he took me not long after I was born so the speedway is just about my oldest memory other than my parents’ loving faces.  Let’s go racing, shall we?

Glad the Kingsport track is running.

Time to put Claire Lynch back on my Internet tunes and swing to her sweet bluegrass voice.

2011 is not the worst year in my life (or my species) but it sure is a big one.  Good thing I know all about the big picture and the circles, cycles and spirals that make everything new all over again.