Angles

A cityscape can look very attractive. And it is good to put your best foot forward. As long as it isn't a coverup.

Now I'm not getting into the whole urban blight (A coverup term itself) thing. But if I'm moving someplace, such as in my case Los Angeles (The belly of the beast lol), I'm checkin' out the WHOLE enchilada.

I've been looking at the LA and beyond area warts and all. Then again I don't fall for pr from the chamber of commerce. Again, it's good to see the fine points of anything. But if you don't encompass the whole situation then you cheat yoruself.

I love LA and yeah the Randy Newman song lol. But there is a collision course or pressure cooker with illegals, gangs and crime in general that is leading to catastrophe.

I should write again about illegals. Acapulco Joe comes to mind when I think of people who come here for the proverbial American dream.

I'll save that for another time.

On the same theme, ever look at celebrities? I do as part of my work as well as admiring certain actors (Especially female -s-) etc.

Check out closeups. You will notice they all have bumps and pores. That smooth sexy look is called airbrushing. I can't conceive of them doing that to me lol. Well maybe a little but no bikinis nor nudity.

We are human. And while it's no sin to put our best foot forward, it's a mistake to overemphasize. Just the same, it is stupidity to project the dirty and bereft always.

How bout realizing we are works in progress and, not settling for anything, we work towards getting it right?

Boxing Daze

I hate being put in a box. Considering my recent surgery, I mean that literally as well lol.

I understand a certain amount of categorization. What I object and rebel against is the attempt to lump people into human resource factories.

I have in my experiences, seen people with great talents, convinced to settle for less.

Maybe academics are not the cup of tea for some. Perhaps there are those who work with their hands better. Not stupid, God I hate disparaging, condescending attitudes as though some are a kind of thing, depersonalized, automat here for the service of their 'betters'.

All people are worthy of respect, unless their actions abrogate it.

I look for the uncommon, the unexpected. Some will never do but one thing. Can they do one thing well?

Are they in a box? Maybe. Or they have never had the chance to step out.

I can't save the world. But I can do my part.

And I am NOT going to fit in a box, hole, behind a fence or wall.

I will do what I can to help others to break free too.

The Howling Man

Another great Twilight Zone ep.

It's a fantastic story about a group of obscure monks who do not welcome a lost and wounded wayfarer. they practically kick him out only letting him stay because he collapses.

Occasionally the eerie sound of a wailing howl splits the air. At first the monks deny it but then relent.

In a dialog with the abbot, the man learns the monks have captured the devil, satan himself and keep him in a cell stopped by a wooden crook of truth.

The traveller disbelieves and in a dialog with the man who asks for help in the name of mercy, not God to be released.

Upon release, the man is revealed to be the devil and disappears into the night.

In the ensuing years WW2 and other horrific events plague mankind.

Before this, the disbelief of the traveller is countered by the abbot, who is emphatic but not shrill nor unbalanced.

Satan was captured shortly after WW1. Yes there were still sins and terrible things but it was argued not on a global scale.

The point of the exercise partly was that the abbot pointed out satan does cause evil as Man chooses it. But Man is capable of evil himself. There is a catalyst but free will is the tipping point. then evil can become epidemic.

I don't buy the 'relative calm' between world wars. There is always great travesty.

What I DO buy is evil either pretending to be bland or seducing ever so slowly.

As always The Howling Man got this kid to think even in grade school.

Then again, we were all taught that back then.

Pass it on.

Sex Bombs

Kind of a companion piece to Brats.

Sex is traded in Hollyweird. Well then again it is everywhere.

I'm speaking only about behavior. Good or bad isn't necessarily relative. For the purpose of this post, we have it as is.

Too many people use sex instead of it being part of life.

The casting couch exists. I've escaped it so far lol. And people are sometimes used as if they were pieces of meat.

My way of looking at it is to rise above it. Make sure your base is secure and have a backup complete with money. Be careful with whom you associate and have your own mind.

They call it show business for a reason. It's remarkably like other work except for the type of product and return.

Many people are unaffected and though there is glam on one end, folks can be down to earth.

Some do not grow up as in maturity being stunted. I'm not talking about healthy childlike qualities such as spontaneity. I'm talking about the ability to make sound judgment is stunted.

Depends on the person. And it depends one who is around you.

It's that selfgovernment thing again. It extends to what we have set up in our Republic.

Start with self and build.

Brats

Some of the kids in Hollyweird handle fame/success better than others.

I'm not here to name names, I'm not a sensationalist preying on the curiosity of the masses. Guess you could say I'm interested in what makes people tick. Sure I'm planning to get that PhD in Clinical Psych. But, I believe many of us share that curiosity.

Is it important to understand? Yes. On the other hand, over psychologizing is a maze like trap.

Most of the kids get fairly rapid success. That means for them big bucks. to the truly wealthy, it's a spit in the ocean. Learning how to deal with all the trappings some fall off a cliff. they are overwhelmed.

Drugs booze general decadence suck them in as they realize they can, in their world, get just about anything they want.

What would you do if you received huge salaries for your work? How would you handle it?

I hope I find out -s-.

Some of the kids do well. It's a matter of having a head on your shoulders and getting good people round you. They earn the money, they should do as they see fit. I'm all for a little free spirit capitolism.

Debate if you want the sometimes obscene bucks trundled round Hollyweird. It's hard to keep principles and not sell out.

Some of us try and succeed.

When I have the money, I will help people help themselves and for a number of reasons/causes.

I make no promises I cannot keep.

Some of the H-kids should be spanked. some think for themselves.

Self government works that way at all levels isn't it?

Mob Rule

Lotta stuff about flash mobs these days. It's an old commie tactic.

Swarm in, loot and swarm out.

Works well in England and some other places infested with lack of Freedom, overwhelming entitlement babies and quick fix solutions that only increase societal bleeding.

The French and Russian revolutions come to mind among others. The brouhaha in Lybia is a current example as was the Iranian takeover in the late 70's. Come to think of it, Mao's murderous tirade in the 40's and the rape of Tibet are right up there. History is filled with mob rule.

In this case, society has been long time prepared, in the name of safety and that crappy bland word progress for the Zerglings (from hive monster in Starcraft, a popular game my son played)to ravenously ssaturate and literally destroy from within.

Democracy, mob rule was the purported objective in many of the previous maneuvers for control. We know how it works. I'm including all you leftist (democratic socialists included-you know who you are)mokes and all the socalled right wingers.

An aside: The left and the right are more similar than ever. The results are more collectivism for all. This will be obvious to many who pass by here. Just mentioning it since people are still trying to rely on the old dynamic while Rome burns. Or they are forestalling the inevitable by failing to restore the Republic.

There is a tendency for some to run screaming. Others want more social salve. But even in England and in France where their patriot Brigitte Bardot has warned of the jihadists, people are saying 'enough'.

Will that be enough? No. It will take action, as it is here, and for europe I don't know. They need a major revision. I told one of my clan cousins in London long ago they need to ditch the queen aka no more titular head no more homage, and get a Constitution and Bill of Rights. That went over like a turd in a punchbowl.

Our responsibility is to ourselves though I hope some day the world is truly Free.

Captain Obvious here. We must remain armed. We must stop the madness.

It's risky and might well lead to civil war. I hate to see it but what price is Freedom?

Stand fast and don't let the mob overrun you.

Strip Club

S and I had painted a long morning.

We had hoped to quit early just to complete a job that had been complicated just for the tones of paint and the way they were applied. S was that kind of craftsman. But, the job seemed to have other plans, at least the people who commissioned him. Swirling two tone came to mind. There was papering too. It's an exact craft to line it up and syncratize patterns and colors.

S aimed to please. He had built his business and craft on being precise and reliable.

He taught me discipline re a job well done.

Working all night, we were nearly dizzy the next morning. Yet, we completed what I would call a work of art, a job well done and a place someone called home.

Light headed from lack of sleep, we adjourned to a nearby doughnut shop.

I can't remember what it was, but we were so gassed out by lack of sleep, that we exchanged some remark and before you knew it, we were both laughing so hard that we fell off our stools, lol.

This was a time of almost nonstop work for him and especially me.

I was taking 20 credit hours a semester and working 4 jobs.

Busy aint got it.

Yet, I managed to have a social life and S and I would often go unwind after work.

He was one of the most precise people I ever knew, without being anal -s-.

We usually hit one of several bars for a few beers or drinks, but occasionally we would segue to a strip club.

Strip clubs, or 'titty bars' in the vernacular have never been my cup of tea. I just never saw the fun of watching some gal flip and flop, usually badly to some rock tune set in cheesy surroundings.

Sure, there are some 'classier' joints and the amusing designation 'club' is often attached.

And I have met some drop dead gorgeous girls who dance and then with some skill and sensuality. It's a hard way to make a living, but some ladies do alright. And more than a few are working hard and remarkably in control of themselves. But, many are not. I don't dig hitting up bikers' old ladies.

To be fair, the bars offer a service to lonely guys (Even filtering out the pervs) most of whom are just looking for diversion and some relief.

Lest you think I'm holier than thou, and in spite of some of the negatives, I say to each his own.

Strange topic for this Freedom blog huh?

I've become noted for some of my seemingly outre stuff here.

I never went to one except at the behest of a friend.

It's strength in numbers or misery loves company lol.

Don't be surprised who you meet. Content of character prevails over position etc.
Turning up one's nose can isolate and make you shallow. So shallow you might dry up and blow away.

Be yourself and learn from others. The surprise might be just that

Riding The Storm

All the natural disasters have tongues wagging.

There have been scads of natural disasters lately. Then again there always have.

There are always reasons given, from the bizarre to the natural, for everything to earthquakes to tsunamis.

There are many responses after such events. And excuses or solutions are given.

Good environment or bad, selfishness, greed in some stripe on both of the usual suspects ie right or left.

I'm not here to extrapolate. You can surf the net and see for yourself.

Finding solutions is important. We must seek them.

Whatever the cause, and there is plenty of natural disaster, when it happens, what are we to do?

Recently a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair. Whatever the reaso, again, people rushed to help. They weathered the storm and the pain.

Riding the storm is a serious choice.

What to do, when and how.

We must apply ourselves and learn to do what we must.

Is this vague?

Endurance during an event will determine what we are capable of later.

Hang in and hold on.

Co-ops

Sharing is more than a catch word.

Whether times are tough (they ripen towards it) or easier, pooling at least some resources is wise.

It's not socialism, though some would try to paint it with a broad brush. Heaven forbid people would participate and actually share what they have as a group!

James Wesley, Rawles' novel Patriots is a good example. A group of friends decide on a place to retreat and live by pooling their resources. It worked. And it can in real life.

There are people all over grouping together and going in on not just supplies, but actually everything to withstand impending economic crisis and any catastrophe including civil war.

As a result the state is passing hoarding laws making it supposedly illegal to have large quantities of food and supplies. This indicates they are afraid of such organization, that it is effective.

Circumvent them and check out survivalblog.com. It's a good start.

Seek out like minded folks. There are scads around Sipsey Street and War On Guns and Western Rifle Shooters etc.

Co-op. Because no man is an island -s-.

And it's kinda hard to learn everything on your own.

Potatoes

Yes it has an 'e' for the plural. Funny how the simple things trip us up. I suppose people grasping at straws search for any faux pas they can find. Besides when it comes to political character assassination, it's often a clownesque daisy chain.

Anyway, I'm thinking of potatoes' versatility. You can do so much with them.

I got to thinking about them while watching Defiance, the movie about the Bielski Brother Otriad. Not only the home brew potato vodka, but a staple of their meager diet was potato soup. Determination to survive, prevail kept them going as well as potatoes.

Potatoes go with everything. Everyone consumes them to one degree or another. Of course, there are healthier ways to fix them than others. I won't make this a cookbook.

With ingenuity, we can take something common and create great adaptability.

In the times ahead, I hope people who enjoy luxury can learn to live with less and make it work.

We don't have to be emaciated have nots. We can and at least some of us will make a situation work with seemingly little.

I suggest you brook no delay and get at it.

Just Some Words

Fiddlin round with words today:


Love briefly touching, a breeze caressing my cheek in Summer. Just as soon gone. Still, like waking from a moment of lips briefly drinking water, no longer parched. And invisible like an angel's wings, close but far. Never gone.


Tears cover my sleep. Alone save for a memory, I wander to the shore seeking gold amongst the leaden grey. No darkness, but a lurching hollow place. The elusive, on the cusp of hope, flies past, leaving the short brush that may lead to an embrace. A touch that covers the tears.


I cry to thee. All the Bard's words fail. Plaintive whisper afraid to reach. The nectar evaporates, a trace of meeting, surrounds from the inside. The gap that cannot be bridged, like a foot that slips, with no place to go except to stand still. Laconic, I catch myself, hearing something beyond.


Romance of the soul transcends risk of solitude. The smile of a child glimpses eternal life. Let go the hand, ascend.

A Cut Below

I had surgery to remove a fist sized lipoma (nonmalignant fatty tumor) that was pressing on my colon.

This was on 7/27. Right Laparoscopic Hemicolectomy is the med name. What a mouthful! Or in my case, quite a bowelful. Whew! Ugh!

I came out of anesthesia fairly fast. I'd had an epidural. Great staff from the nurses orderlies and docs, including a lovely resident learning her trade with the 'knockout drops'.

Being abdominal surgery, there was a bit of embarrassing adventure in my hospital room. Suffice it to say the postop nurses were terrific and I was at ease as I oozed.

You may think TMI, but I'm just telling you the experience was actually good.

Not only were the lovely skilled nurses exceptional, they let me be though I was tended to with TLC.

It gave me a few days to simply begin healing. My kids and my ex visited. Otherwise, I was away from it all. I had time to think.

As I started to knit, I also took time to sort out what I was doing in many aspects. It was as if I were in a 'safehouse' and concentrated mostly on healing while I reviewed where I was at in life.

I thought about my goals and started putting them in order.

I'm happy with the results.

This included everything from working for Freedom, to my kids, to my writing etc.

I reaffirmed that I would use my time, whatever time I still had and do what I could. I resolved not to let my actions back up and plug the pipes.

I realized that once back outside, I'd be assailed with the cares of the world/life. And I am meeting those head on, not as perturbed as I used to be.

Hey, I'll still get cussin and discussin. but, I'm not going to blow a gasket.

It's time for the troublemakers to do that -s-.

I also was cognizant that my aches and pains were little in comparison to many a person at the hospital, let alone the world. No bitching and moaning. Just resolve to do what I can.

And it impressed upon me the many who have sacrificed all, leaving kids to be raised without them, other loved ones and friends without them.

I am not afraid to die when it's time. And I am not afraid to live while I have time.

Yet I asked God to let me do what I can with what I have.

I am profoundly grateful to be here.

I hope I make good use of it.

I'm here for a reason.

Let it be for the right reasons and for the Light!