Tag Archives: happiness

If it weren’t for paying expensive health insurance premiums, my wife and I would be fully retired already?

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The past two weekends, my wife and I combined a visit with family with a trip to the college football stadium.

This weekend, we visited with my cousin and her [second] husband, whom we have embraced as a member of our family.  He humbled us by saying we’re like the family he hasn’t had since he doesn’t know when.

The previous weekend, we spent time with my mother, my sister and her [second] husband, whom we have embraced as a member of our family.  He humbled us by saying a few years ago we gave him a present that was greater than any he had ever received before.

I live with a head full of thoughts, many of them self-deprecating, which science tells us is not an unusual phenomenon.

When other people tell me how nice I am, one of my automatic thoughts is that they must be lying to me to get something from me because I know I am not a nice person.

That thought alone says something — if I think it and have written about it more than once, then is that who I really am?

Is that why suicidal thoughts creep into my day, wishing the cruel, devious person that drives me out of bed every day would be dead and not influencing the world?

Our society is packed with history and textbooks discussing this very issue, offering various solutions.

The hope that drives me past my cruel side is that I’ll outlive my worst tendencies and die a happy man, having made one good contribution to our society at large, if just in one simple act of kindness I never knew about.

Otherwise, I’ll continue to be what many people refer to as one of their “weird” friends whose thought patterns run tangentially to the mainstream, running parallel occasionally through good brainwashing during my formative years.

Time for this set of states of energy to meditate upon the nothingness of the mundane.

Have a great day!

It’s from me it’s for you. It’s from you, it’s for me. It’s a worldwide symphony

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The U.S. president stood at the podium and looked at the camera.

“Earlier today I authorised a large-scale mobilisation of our naval and air forces to converge on Syria.

“I have not made this decision lightly.  In fact, I consulted with historians as well as your elected representatives on both sides of the aisle.

“Based on the advice I graciously received, I instructed our armed forces to take the following action.

“One, we have a brotherly and sisterly love for the Syrian people.  Our first order of business is to flood the cities and neighbourhoods of Syria with leaflets warning of our plans we are declaring in full disclosure to every country that wants to interfere with our humanitarian mission to prevent more senseless bloodshed, offering a peaceful solution backed by our military might to restore order.

“Two, a massive airlift is now underway.  We will soon drop air cargo loads filled with blocks of pure, nutritious American cheese from our country’s heartland to feed the Syrian people in dire need of real food.

“Three, to address the rumours of starvation driven by despair and depression and to prevent any chance of malaria or other tropical disease, we will spray the people of Syria and their beloved geography with a special formulated mix of pest-deterring organic cannabinoids and low-concentration psilocybin, which I have been assured by both scientific and medical experts will restore the appetites and happiness of war-weary inhabitants of the City of Jasmine and other metropolitan areas ravaged by over two years of civil war.

“Four, we will offer a trade-in program for citizens on all sides of the Syrian conflict.  Every gun, tank, missile, ammunition or other weapon not authorised for the strict use of American military to protect global citizens in Syria is eligible for this program.  If you turn in a weapon, we will provide you with enough food and clothing to last you a year.  In addition, we will send you to a nearby training centre to provide you the trade skills and business acumen to start your own business to compete in the world economy.

“My fifth and final announcement on this important issue.  We ask not only the Syrians but all the people of the Middle East to open their stores and shops to people of any race, creed, national origin, political or religious difference.  If you do so, your family will prosper.  At the end of the day, isn’t that what we want for ourselves and our children?

“That’s all that the United States of America is trying to do here, provide Syrians with a peaceful path toward prosperity, cementing a healthy relationship with the rest of the world.  No other country can offer or is offering you such a solution.

“My administration will keep our phones and doors open for Syrians.  Talk to us after you read our leaflets.

Thank you.  No questions.”

The president walked off the platform and turned to his closest advisor.  “Okay, now that that’s over, do you have the latest update on Tiger’s golf score?”

Summertime

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Summer soon ends.

On stage the musicians focus on sheet music, their faces shiny, spotlights highlighting bluesy dancers on the parquet floor out front.

Who performs for an audience member like me?

The white-haired congo drum player, East Coast Swingers  or seated listeners tapping their toes?

Dry tree leaves line quiet country lanes — signs of a wet summer, early autumn or cold winter?

A chorus line forms as “Pennies From Heaven” plays, locals getting ready for a music video starring them in a Charleston combo with the Funky Pirate Jazz Band.

Happiness and confidence raises the crowd’s conversation volume.

Not being an official HSDS (Huntsville Swing Dance Society) event, available (known) dance partners are limited so male leads make bold moves to teach simple moves to new “students,” their one day being potential patrons of period party music, too.

At the 9 p.m. break, the musicians socialise, a dancer named Andrew dances with his shadow and this writer sits here in dispassionate, detached journalist diarist mode.

We are here to benefit a charitable cause that I seem to recall has to do with pets companions, millions of animal surrogates for human friends/family.

Is it odd to type on this device, sitting alone in an ivory crowd, writing about pet projects while my wife is home alone with our cats?

Perhaps because I spent the morning, afternoon and evening in events associated with college football?

From one style of big band music (University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland marching band in formation) to another (Moon Dust jazz band on stage) in one day toward the end of summer.

As summer weather patterns linger but daylight hours shorten, these questions lead to autumnal thoughts, sepia toned, muted intonations, frozen Volga River patterns carrying couples across the old cotton mill wood planks.