So, I'm over seas in Iraq now. I can say this, it's not as shaky as I thought it would be. I do know a couple of things...1.when you hear a BOOM! it's very likely you need to duck and cover. 2. I don't know too much about the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) of every loud bang I hear, 3. when you see someone running out of their housing to the cover bunker, you should follow suit. LOL!
Anyways, while over here, I plan on blogging as often as I can to keep those of you tuned into my thoughts aware of what's going on, with care of course. I know I can't tell all that goes on over here, to do so would violate some kind of silence order I think. :P
Hopefully I can achieve some kind of peace or some epiphone while I'm here. Maybe even pen a few lines of prose or new songs? Who knows.
I will try to keep current so those that, again, are tuned in, will know how I am doing.

Till then,
Peace.

Newest career endeavor. So, here I am, living in Oklahoma, working on some of the most beautiful land in the country (80 acres to be exact). Living with my folks, close to my family etc. I get to work a short lived part time job that goes into 1-2 days per month (SUCK). When all of a sudden, (of course, here's where I can't exaggerate details, cause I've actually thought about this move in careers for a while). I decide to put my resume in to this "head hunter" that my buddy got a job through. So, I write an email to this human resources lady in Texas. I send her a resume`. I wait for a couple of weeks before I decide to follow up on it, cause I don't want to be pushy, right? So I write an email to her again. It seems I am not getting a response, so I stepped up my efforts...Wait, hold up....Back up the info bus!

Take you back a few months to the time when I first got the heads up on this job. Before I even moved up to Oklahoma from TX. I sat on this email from my buddy for almost 4 months before I even acted on this hot job possibility. It gave me time to think about things, consider other options, other job offers, snort, what other job offers?! Yeah, I know, no cynicism allowed. Okay....So, after I sent this HR person my resume` a 2nd time, I finally got a response. I'm to be scheduled for a telephone interview. Okay, no problem, I can handle that okay, I give good phone. (got the ability from years on a phone in a customer service realm. So, the interview happens, I felt pretty good about it. I am told that after the interview I can expect a few days perhaps in between time that I hear back about the next phase. So, later on the SAME DAY, I get this phone call. It's another HR lady telling me the company wants to have me fly into their headquarters in Virginia for an interview, face to face. Well, imagine that......
So, they paid for the flight I paid for the hotel (that's another rant entirely) I get a job offer the next day before I leave to come back to Oklahoma. Well, after talking to my folks the night before and several weeks before that, I had already accepted the offer before they made it. Well, they had hired me based on the phone interview, and perhaps a referral from my good buddy. THANKS GOOD BUDDY!!

Cut to the now, the present, the well, right here. LOL! I now have 2 weeks before I fly back to the east coast to train for my new career. I'm flying to West Virginia first for 3 days, then to Georgia for another week, then...Well, I can't say exactly where cause I don't rightly know exact details until I get my itinerary, but I assure you, the compensation package is DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!! You know what I mean? I mean, some folks never see this kind of money except in dreams, okay? Yeah, it's that good. Anyways....Just wanted to share in my excitement. I will be out of touch for about 4-5 months, depending on my itinerary (again that word haunts me) ;)

I will definitely stay in touch though.

Peace to all.
Toby

Hello all you bloggers! Today is July 30, 2007. We're almost done with the month. On to August! With the summer nearing a close (doesn't feel like it) we have a few things to remember before the end of the sun's reign. It's almost time to gather in the last of the crops, before they burn up. Remember to store up now for the autumn and winter, it seems we will see quite a winter this year. After all of the rains and hot weather in parts of the USA....Does anyone catch the change in climate? Has anyone else thought about the subsequent difference in weather patterns this year? I am just wondering if I'm the only one that has noticed...

Anyways.

I went to Virginia on July 16th for a job interview and came back on the 17th. I got to fly into Washington DC via Denver from OKC. I was only there long enough to stay in an overpriced hotel for one night (Holiday Inn Rosslyn, I will not patronize your establishment again) You were overpriced, snobby and otherwise down right rude! I realized this information all too late, not that I was in control of my reservations mind you, the company interviewing me was the arrangement side of things. Alas, they paid for my flight there and back, which went rather smoothly all things considered. I was slightly worried about all of the checkpoints and TSA, but everything went off without a hitch. Surprisingly enough, they did not tell me to remove my tube of toothpaste, even though it was over the 3 oz maximum, nor did they ask about my over sized bottle of contact lens solution (12 oz) go figure. ;)

Well, I signed the contract with a good company, referred by a good friend of mine. I will be flying back out next month to train and go from there.

More on that topic later.

Peaceful Monday!

Today is July 8, 2007. The day after "Live Earth" 7-7-07. I see most of us are still alive and kicking. That's good, but, I'll let you in on a theory I've been pondering lately...
I've griped about all the rain in the first of the summer months. Well, I may have been hasty in griping. Seems to me, in theory, all the water that has been poured into Texas and Oklahoma and some of the neighboring states has been preparing us for warmer climates. I see it this way...The sun has been playing havoc with our climate since 20 years ago. Now, more than ever, we should pay attention to the tell tale signs of sunspots. I believe that, in time, we will see sunspot activity so intense, it will cause flash fires across the USA. In doing so, all the Pacific and East coasts (the ones in drought) will burn significantly. This puts the central USA in the way, or as I call it "the fire break". If and when this happens, I believe that the areas curently in drought, will burn or start burning almost spontaneously. When this takes place, I believe that the central states will provide a sort of oasis that casues the fires to stop. Thus securing the east and west coasts, to a point. I don't believe that global warming is all natural, I do know that we as humans, should take responsibility for our actions as a whole. Yes, we are to blame for some of the damageas to our world. I don't think we can begin to repair them either.

I think that the ideas presented by Al Gore are promising steps to make us all aware of the issues, but, I don't think we can alter our past mistakes. What I think we should do as humans, is, reduce the amount of gasoline we use on a daily, weekely, monthly and yearly basis. I think we should reduce our importing from Oil rich nations. I think we should stop burning coal, start using more hydroelectric power and possibly hydrogen power. Fossil fuels WILL run out! This is not a looming possibility any longer, it is a looming likelyhood in our day and age. There are many things we can do to make our world nicer. We can never reverse what has already been done, that much is apparent. Consider all the oil corporations, both domestic and foreign. How do you think they are going to take a drop or complete drop off of business if we outlaw oil usage? First of, we have to come up with a replacement RENEWABLE energy concept. Once this has been successfully done, we can move on to furthering the repairs to our climate. For right now, just suffice it to say, we are in for one heck of a ride with the coming climate roller coaster. I for one, am glad that the warming trend has brought many to their senses. I am only sad that it took so long for many to realize the damage we are inflicting upon ourselves. Hindsight is 20/20. Go figure...

I wish peace upon all, prosperity, love and happiness. But above all, I wish upon our planet, health and well being.

Howdy there folks in Blogger land!

If you all watch any form of news media, you may or may not have heard or seen anything about "Hamas Mouse".

I watched and have a couple of comments to the news media in the USA, as well as the government that allows this to get out into mainstream USA media resources. ARE YOU STUPID? That's the number one comment thus far. #2 ARE YOU STUPID? Sounds a bit redundant eh? The reason I ask are you stupid is this. Why in the hell would you allow propaganda into our mainstream news feeds anyway? Who decided to interpret this crazy crap and put it out so that everyone, America, and our Muslim immigrants can see? I am not a supporter of Palestine or Hamas, or Al Quaeda, or any other radical group against freedom. I AM against seeing this crap posted for all the free world to get their eyes on! To be fair, if you saw an Anarchist website posted with propaganda, it would be called freedom of speech, but it would be quieted or removed. Yes? What if Texans started posting Propaganda regarding Seceding from the rest of America? Would ou government stand for that? I highly doubt it. People would be outraged! Putting these children up to recording this crap and then putting it on the air in the Middle East just fuels the fire of war and destruction. Not only to the Muslim radicals, but it's like their crowning glory to see it posted all over the WORLD WIDE WEB. BILLIONS of people can come into contact with this CRAP! Just like several can come across these blogs and call it crap! Whatever, but, shouldn't we be concerned with pasting this all over to be seen?

Am I the only one with this opinion? First of all, the idea of Martyrdom in a cause such as Al Quaeda, Islam, Al Hamas, or whoever the hell these people are, is ridiculous! If you die in a cause that promised you 72 Virgins, well, that's for the Creator to decide. I doubt you will see Allah in the same light when the CREATOR boots your sorry asses back to wherever you climbed out of. I am disgusted with the bariers not in place to filter out this garbage from our Media. And outraged at the people that cross post from Youtube into Myspace for MILLIONS perhaps BILLIONS to see everyday.

There, I'll step down from my soapbox for a while.

Ahhh, summertime. The smells of sweet......hey! Wait a minute! Summer heat SUCKS! Especially the humidity!

Ahh, but the swimming pools, the outdoor activities, camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, swimming (did I mention swimming?)

I am looking forward to Summer Solstice in Summerland this year. I always look forward to it every year, but this year seems a bit more important to me. It seems more personal for some reason. Maybe it's because old feelings for certain people seem to re-surface a bit. You know? The ones that have been in your life and slowly exited out of it? I mean, I understand that people will change no matter what we wish or hope for, but, when you find that one person that you fit with so perfectly and for one reason or another, things don't seem to work out in the moment....Causes regret. That's what I can say at the moment. I mean, you find one person that you seem to fit with in all respects, energy wise, personality, attitude etc. Then because you feel responsible for another person (in this case, married) you drift away from the person you are really right for. Then, later on down the road, you remember why you liked being with that person. Even though the relationship could and would cause issues for those around you. SIGH....

Oh well, I guess that's why life sucks at times.

I guess I should be thankful for the blessings I have and not regret the things I cannot change. At least I will get to see those that I am friends with at Summerland this year.

I cannot wait! I am so excited to get to camp out again!

Well, guess that wraps up my rant for the time being.

More later.

Peace fellow humans.

So, we went to the OKC Zoo yesterday. What a fascinating visit we had!! It took us all day but, I think we visited all the animals they have there. LOL! That zoo is HUGE! 110 acres. We were there from 11AM until 6PM. We must have walked around that place 4 times at least. Boy were we tired when we got home last night, to be sure. I crashed out around 9 and slept until this morning at 7. Whew! Tiring, but fun.

So, I saw a very moving video shot this morning. It's on www.youtube.com

It's about the vanishing bees in our eco system. Very moving....I didn't ever think this way until recently, but, without our plants and pollination, even with science, we cannot survive more than a few years at best. The honeybees are VERY important to our survival. It also makes reference to being vegan......hmmmm.......if everyone went vegan, our dependance on vegetables and plants would become more so, I think the population of bees would be over taxed at that point. Isn't that a bit much? To rely on vegetation in the possibility that all of it will be gone without bees? Personally, I don't eat much red meat anymore. I eat alot of chicken, fish and veggies. I rarely eat beef at all. Even pork stands to be rejected by my body, ESPECIALLY in the summer months. I think it's because so much heat causes my discomfort in my digestion anyways, that, I naturally lean towards the higher energy foods. Besides, the length of time it takes the beef to digest can cause way too many issues in the colon etc. You all have heard that I'm sure.
The video also approaches several topic starters.....Ecological disaster, over population, self destruction etc. This is stuff I have ranted about on here before now. I wonder when our "Civilization" will come to realize the truth about ourselves? When will it become important enough to start to do something to help our planet? When is too late?

Folks, we ARE destroying our planet!! How much more proof do we need? Global warming is NOT a concept! It IS a reality!! Eco systems around the globe are suffering at the hands of our leaders, our fellow human beings, our corporations, all in search of the almighty dollar. I think if we were to really search for another place to call home, we would find a "temporary" living place, but we would soon destroy that as well. We don't need to move to another planet, we need to restore this one. It was given to us to maintain, to care for, not destroy! Look at how we've mangaed, or mis-managed, our gifts....It saddens me to realize that my son's generation, heck, not even that close, my generation will live through some very trying times coming soon. We will likely see the end of the oceanic life, the end of the honey bees, then the eventual end of our lives. I cannot even put into wos the sadness this causes me. And yet, I still have peace. It's unfair that I can remain this peaceful despite the eventual consequences.

Peace.

Hello world!!

I am doing well in Oklahoma for the 2nd month I've been here. I am enjoying the solitude and serenity that the country offers. I work a part time job, take care of my grandmother's lawn, household needs etc and most of my free time I spend either visiting friends, relatives or just playing music to soothe my inner need.

I went and picked up my son on the 1st of June, for summer break. We enjoyed our first weekend thus far. We went to "Red Earth" celebration on Saturday morning. We got to walk around and see art exhibits of Native American artists, crafts from different tribes. We also got to watch the Grand Entry (for those unsure of what this is, you can see a re-broadcast on www.powwows.com) The grand entry is when all the tribes that will be in attendance come into the main arena. They dance around while the different drum groups drum and sing the host of dancers around, until all dancers and participants are in the main area. You want to see something like this for your first time, I assure you! Talk about an emotional invoking experience!! Being able to see all the colors, hear all the sounds, bells jingling, rattles shaking, voices singing to the rhythms..... Man! I only wish we would have stayed all day. We missed the dance competitions :( Sadly enough. BUT, my son and I got to go visit with our extended family at a birthday party. After that, we all went as a family to celebrate my birthday at a very authentic German restaurant in Choctaw Oklahoma. (my compliments to the chef!)
(semi post script note: May was a blue moon month, so, my birthday fell on a full moon. How cool is that?)

After that, we all came home, chilled out, got baths and what not (mostly the boy), got ready for bed, (again the boy). After lights out, I traversed to Shawnee to visit and hang out with my cousin and his room mate. We met at this nice pub called, "Knuckles Pub". Very authentic Irish pub feel. We sat up in the pool table area talking and drinking on a few beverages (nice selection of dark and high alcohol beers) and then went to their place and continued talking until almost 1:30AM. I then came home to my bed and slept until this morning around, 9:30. Nice! I like the simple things, like sleeping in occasionally. :)

Well, I'm not much for ranting or raving lately, but, if I had to rave about anything at all....It would be the incessant rain we seem to be getting lately. Not just us in Oklahoma either. But, all across the mid-west. Now, if I were to say that the east coast could use some of this rain, that would be very correct. I know that Florida, Georgia, Alabama and several other states could very well use some of the excess water we seem to be harboring. I have jokingly stated that I feel as though I am living in a rain forest, due to the almost daily rains we have been receiving. I also know that in the summer months to come, we will be glad of the moisture we have gotten to this point. It should prove to be quite a hot summer for most of this area.

Well, Mid-Summer is approaching fast. June 21st will be the summer equinox, the date that the sun is in it's strongest position. The day of longest light. after that day, the light will start to fade into the oncoming fall season. Days will begin to get shorter a little at a time. I hope that we all have adequately prepared ourselves for this time in the calendar year. It is a time to watch closely. Anything in nature that you can look at, watch closely. Pay attention to your environment. Our eco system can fortell the coming weather quite accurately. I for one am lucky to be able to watch closely in my suroundings. I know that city dwellers have a hard time getting to see the signs as approaching weather changes so fast and often without warning, but, the warnings should be heeded. We are very near to completing another seasonal cycle of change. After this, it will seem harder on us as humans to deal with such scorching heat in the mid-west. After all, this area has been in drought for several years. Now the rains have brought some desired relief. Next on the agenda is dry conditions again. I hope we can persevere.

Well, I guess those are my thoughts for the moment.

Be at peace in all your works and bring peace to those around you.

Here it is, May 22, 2007 and I have not blogged in a while, a month to be exact. Seems I have been rather busy lately. Working a part time job, keeping the lawn mowed, various chores etc.

I took a quick look in the news....seems nothing too noteworthy exists at this time. I am a bit disappointed to see Melinda Dolittle off of American Idol, I really thought she should be the one to win, but, we'll see who makes it to the last of the contest.

Also, the death of Jerry Fallwell....hmmm, not too much I can say that is noce about him. Other than the fact, he's never been the only one making trouble in the religion front. There are more to take his place I assure you.

Well, I will pay a bit more attention to my blog in coming weeks and months.

Peace.

So, I've been in Oklahoma for a while now. I have work already. Got a job by the 2nd day I was living here. I successfully moved all of my "stuff" from Texas to my new (old) stomping grounds.

I am only working a seemingly part time schedule for the moment, but it's enough to keep my attention where it needs to be.

My world consists of: 2-5 hours a day carying Propane bottles empty back to the office, filling them and then returning them to the proper businesses the next day. I can go help my Grandmother in the afternoons with my free time. I get to maintain her lawn, approximately 2-3 acres, I help her with household issues, such as light bulb changes, dusting, light maintenance etc. I get to sit and talk with an elder from my maternal side, (imagine getting to hear all of the family history from a living historian?) I love it! I am learning more about my family history each time I sit with her. This is a good thing, seeing as how I will now be able to pass along the information to my son as he gets older as well.

I went to OKC yesterday for the "Deal or No Deal" casting call. WOW! I spent 10 hours in the baseball park, (AT&T Ball Park) with about 10-12,000 other people all vying for that one chance to appear as a contestant. The only thing is, we all had about 20 seconds to sell ourselves to the casting directors at 10 people in a room at a time. Whew! I got slightly sun kissed, which is not a bad deal. I got to sit around many various folks from all walks of life. Possibly even making a mark on their lives as well. Who knows. All I can say is, if I get to go to another casting call for anything again, I will be a bit more prepared from this experience.

So, as for the news front...I can say that I have been so out of touch from the world and local events since I have a slower connection to the internet. I rarely get to view the US news on CNN.com like I used to. All the news I get to see is on local or affiliate channels i.e CBS, FOX, NBC etc. I do know this, Monday night, the new and final 9 episodes of "Heroes" begins again, after an all new Deal or No Deal. So, for those fans of the 2 shows mentioned, be on your toes. I can assure you of a fantastic new season of Heroes.

Well, not too much to blog about at the moment.

More later.

Peace.

Well, I have passed the 90 day mark on the no smoking front. April 3rd was the anniversary. I also passed the border into Oklahoma this past weekend. I got the majority of my stuff all moved into my new pad. I still have a few things to get moved up here, but this coming weekend I can finish with the move in one fell swoop.

I am looking forward to being back in the country. :)

I am already getting to see family again, that makes me feel good. There are some things that I can say I already miss in Texas, but, I do NOT miss the noise, airplanes, NOISE, neighbors above and below me, NOISE, did I mention noise? I can also practice my guitar and singing with no regard to my own noise level. I don't have neighbors to disturb (fortunately for them). I can take a walk out my back door and I have nothing but God's country to walk around in. Just about 80 acres to roam on. Nice! I just hope that all works out the way I envision it.

For now, I am good to go. Time will heal some wounds incurred by my time in Texas.

More to come. Maybe I should re-name my blog to : "Peace of my mind". LOL.

So, I have run the gambit of employment possibilities in the DFW area. I cannot seem to locate a job/career that not only suits my needs, but also is compatible enough with my attitude.
So, with that in mind, I have made a very difficult decision. I am moving up to Oklahoma to live close to my family and my grandmother. Incidentally, I will be caring for my granny and living right next to her on a nice piece of property. The property I lived on when I was a child. the same property that my papa built their house on before I was born. So, not only am I going to be close to my family on land that I am so connected to, but I'll also be fulfilling a desire to move back to the country I grew up in.

How appropriate is that?

So, I'm fully immersed thus far, in some kind of sick universal game. One whee most of us have been the players at one time or he other.

It happens like this.
First, you geto to search for a job.
Second, you get to finally find one that you might like.
Thirdly, after finding out that you don't think you like the job, you quit and now have o start all over again. This whole beginning thing I am encountering is getting boorish. And it's not even like it's any one else's fault but my own. I have yet to find a job that I really like to work at. (besides music, and that job really doesn't pay unless you're a recorded artist)
So, this year has been about allot of quitting. Quitting smoking, good choice, so I can live a healthier and prosperous life. Well, so far I feel physically better, but this whole prosperous thing is really taking aim at me. I know, my 5th seven year cycle is about to begin...for those that are aware of what I am speaking of...See, things start to change from what a person is familiar with at the passing of each 7 years of life. I have referred to it as a rite of passage, which it is, but why should my life take on such drastic changes? The changes don't reserve themselves to every 7 years, but now it seems as seven times per year! LOL! Some joke this turned out to be. :(

Oh well, I know that spring is drawing closer to our time frame. The earth is warming up a bit at a time. Soon, it will be summer again. Time to fry in the Texas heat. Thanks to HUMANITY, we a re all drawing closer to another 7 year cycle beginning. (talking politics here, but I won't start a soapbox rant at the moment) ;)

Now that the earth is getting ready to be planted, we should remember that the seeds we plant now, may not all make it to the first harvest. We have one last cold spell that has yet to arrive on our weather scene. Mark my words, we WILL see another cold spell before March 22, 2007. (also the date of the Spring Equinox)

Also in the news: Daylight Saving Time. We got to move our clocks forward later this year. Thanks to our illustrious government. I am SO pleased about that one. It was so smart too. To cause the mass of it's citizens to ask, "How does that affect us?" Like we care when the time changes! Most don't have a clue as to why we observe daylight saving time anyhow!

The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin first conceived of the idea. The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin (portrait at right) during his sojourn as an American delegate in Paris in 1784, in an essay, "An Economical Project." Read more about Franklin's essay.
Some of Franklin's friends, inventors of a new kind of oil lamp, were so taken by the scheme that they continued corresponding with Franklin even after he returned to America.
The idea was first advocated seriously by London builder William Willett (1857-1915) in the pamphlet, "Waste of Daylight" (1907), that proposed advancing clocks 20 minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and retarding them by the same amount on four Sundays in September. As he was taking an early morning a ride through Petts Wood, near Croydon, Willett was struck by the fact that the blinds of nearby houses were closed, even though the sun was fully risen. When questioned as to why he didn't simply get up an hour earlier, Willett replied with typical British humor, "What?" In his pamphlet "The Waste of Daylight" he wrote:
"Everyone appreciates the long, light evenings. Everyone laments their shortage as Autumn approaches; and everyone has given utterance to regret that the clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used."
Early British laws and lax observance
About one year after Willett began to advocate daylight saving (he spent a fortune lobbying), he attracted the attention of the authorities. Robert Pearce - later Sir Robert Pearce - introduced a bill in the House of Commons to make it compulsory to adjust the clocks. The bill was drafted in 1909 and introduced in Parliament several times, but it met with ridicule and opposition, especially from farming interests. Generally lampooned at the time, Willett died on March 4, 1915.
Following Germany’s lead, Britain passed an act on May 17, 1916, and Willett’s scheme of adding 80 minutes, in four separate movements was put in operation on the following Sunday, May 21, 1916. There was a storm of opposition, confusion, and prejudice. The Royal Meteorological Society insisted that Greenwich time would still be used to measure tides. The parks belonging to the Office of Works and the London County Council decided to close at dusk, which meant that they would be open an extra hour in the evening. Kew Gardens, on the other hand, ignored the daylight saving scheme and decided to close by the clock.

In Edinburgh, the confusion was even more marked, for the gun at the Castle was fired at 1:00 p.m. Summer Time, while the ball on the top of the Nelson monument on Calton Hill fell at 1:00 Greenwich Time. That arrangement was carried on for the benefit of seamen who could see it from the Firth of Forth. The time fixed for changing clocks was 2:00 a.m. on a Sunday.There was a fair bit of opposition from the general public and from agricultural interests who wanted daylight in the morning, but Lord Balfour came forward with a unique concern:
"Supposing some unfortunate lady was confined with twins and one child was born 10 minutes before 1 o'clock. ... the time of birth of the two children would be reversed. ... Such an alteration might conceivably affect the property and titles in that House."
After World War I, Parliament passed several acts relating to Summer Time. In 1925, a law was enacted that Summer Time should begin on the day following the third Saturday in April (or one week earlier if that day was Easter Day). The date for closing of Summer Time was fixed for the day after the first Saturday in October.

The energy saving benefits of Summer Time were recognized during World War II, when clocks in Britain were put two hours ahead of GMT during the summer. This became known as Double Summer Time. During the war, clocks remained one hour ahead of GMT throughout the winter.

A writer in 1947 noted, "I don't really care how time is reckoned so long as there is some agreement about it, but I object to being told that I am saving daylight when my reason tells me that I am doing nothing of the kind. I even object to the implication that I am wasting something valuable if I stay in bed after the sun has risen. As an admirer of moonlight I resent the bossy insistence of those who want to reduce my time for enjoying it. At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves." (Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks, 1947, XIX, Sunday.)

As if us "saving" the hour during the summer is going to somehow give it back to us in the fall...umm, no. AND, we have to go to bed an hour later in the "fall back" time, thereby losing an hour of the same hour we saved! Dee, dee, dee!

Okay, okay, I am finished for tonight.

Peace!

63 days, no smoking!

Almost 2 weeks without work...

Almost 1 week without a band...

Geez, wonder what's next?

I figure, if it's really supposed to happen, me being found, discovered, signed etc, it will have to happen in my dreams because it seems I am not cut out to be in a band, at least not one that plays rock and roll. Seems that my sound is too clean, too smooth, too un rock-n-roll. So I should "not be in a metal band" if I am going to be a frontman vocalist. Seems that I "should stick to coffe shops and places where the girls can swoon at my sounds". I should not stop playing the music I have, cause it's great, I just can't "front a metal band". Those quotes are directly from one of the members of the band I WAS in. They liked all my originals, even liked the words to the songs that I penned for them on other songs even. They like the fact that I can pen a song lyric with an idea in front of me and not too much time spent. Hmmm, I seem to have all the stuff together to make it in rock, just not the sound of a scratchy, smoked out, coarse sounding voice. I have been likened unto Queensryche, The Cult, Bad Company and a few others, but I am not new enough to front a metal band. I guess that makes me talented enough to sing, but too talented to be involved with a band that wants to make it? That doesn't make a lick of sense to me personally, but maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture.

Maybe I should focus on other things, like career, family, social life, community...Maybe I should just be a hobby musician in my spare time. Play the coffee houses, open mics for the rest of my life. Maybe it's about tenacity, maybe it's about my ego, maybe I should be more forceful with band mates in the future, if I so choose to be a part of another band that is.

Oh well, guess I'll see how it goes.

Peace.

So, it's been almost 60 days with no smoking. I am starting to feel better about doing physical labor again. It wears me down a bit at first, but then again I have been on the inside office workforce for a long time running.

I am doing better than I could be. My job and I parted ways amicably, sort of...

Anyway, I am going camping this weekend with my son and a few friends. We are going to celebrate my sons 7th birthday in the woods. He'll be leaning about camping, fire safety, how to dig a fire pit, how to hike and search for "treasures", seeing the stars without the impedence of the city lights to stop him. I am pretty sure I have more fun outdoors then most folks. If the temparature were to dip below freezing, I would feel at home. I've camped in colder! Of course, when it starts to get hot, and I do mean Texas hot, it's not nearly as fun anymore. So, that's when you break out the perma shade (AKA 12X20 Pavillion Tent) That actually keeps the temparature 10-15 degrees lower than the outside. Amazing!

Back in the day, you had no options. You either camped out primative like, or not at all. Motels were for sissies! (or for those of us that might like a dirty little tryst every now and again)
So, we plan on being out there in the woods on a 50 acre semi-primative camp spot the whole weekend. I think it's fantastic that my son chose camping for our weekend together! I didn't even have o say it more than once! That's my boy! My mini-me, my clone....okay, my reality. ;)

Well, I guess I'll stop here for today. Not too much going on in my mind regarding outside influences such as News, local or worldwide right now. Employment is my focus at the very moment.

Peace.

50 Days no smoking! I have had a few dreams that I was smoking though....YUCK! I even have to brush my teeth after I wake up from a dream like that!

On other fronts....Nazi style management techniques reign supreme in my company lately. Seems as though the old adage "Shit rolls downhill" is for real.

Snooping on websites I visit, not that it's my own personal PC, but, seems to me that some of the paranoia derives from someone in the company sending an anonymous email that sparked a rage.

Well, it's the price you pay to be employed, right?

Okay, this guy is a class A "nutso"! But, how many people will agree? If in fact, this guy is "Antichrist" and has 666 tattooed on his body, I am assuming that he is nuts to believe that he is Christ in the flesh (this according to theology teachings and in-doctrination throughout my life in a ministers household).

Even those following him are convinced he is Christ or AntiChrist in the flesh, but his absence of logic suggests that he is the type that would hold some kind of mental hypnosis or some sort of mind control over his followers. I suggest that he is just one of many to come in these troubled times to rope, swindle or otherwise fool those foolish enough to believe him.

Read on...


MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- The minister has the number 666 tattooed on his arm.
But Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is not your typical minister. De Jesus, or "Daddy" as his thousands of followers call him, does not merely pray to God: He says he is God.
"The spirit that is in me is the same spirit that was in Jesus of Nazareth," de Jesus says.
De Jesus' claims of divinity have angered Christian leaders, who say he is a fake. Religious experts say he may be something much more dangerous, a cult leader who really believes he is God. (Watch followers get 666 tattoos for their leader )

"He's in their heads, he's inside the heads of those people," says Prof. Daniel Alvarez, a religion expert at Florida International University who has debated some of de Jesus' followers.
"De Jesus speaks with a kind of conviction that makes me consider him more like David Koresh or Jim Jones."
Is de Jesus really a cult leader like David Koresh, who died with more than 70 of his Branch Davidian followers in a fiery end to a standoff with federal authorities, or Jim Jones, the founder of the Peoples Temple who committed mass suicide with 900 followers in 1978?

Prophets 'spoke to me' De Jesus and his believers say their church -- "Creciendo en Gracia," Spanish for "Growing in grace" -- is misunderstood. Followers of the movement say they have proof that their minister is divine and that their church will one day soon be a major faith in the world.
But even de Jesus concedes that he is an unlikely leader of a church that claims thousands of members in more than 30 countries.
De Jesus, 61, grew up poor in Puerto Rico. He says he served stints in prison there for petty theft and says he was a heroin addict.
De Jesus says he learned he was Jesus reincarnate when he was visited in a dream by angels.
"The prophets, they spoke about me. It took me time to learn that, but I am what they were expecting, what they have been expecting for 2,000 years," de Jesus says.
The church that he began building 20 years ago in Miami resembles no other:
Followers have protested Christian churches in Miami and Latin America, disrupting services and smashing crosses and statues of Jesus.
De Jesus preaches there is no devil and no sin. His followers, he says, literally can do no wrong in God's eyes.
The church calls itself the "Government of God on Earth" and uses a seal similar to the United States.

Doing God's work with a Lexus and Rolex
If Creciendo en Gracia is an atypical religious group, de Jesus also does not fit the mold of the average church leader. De Jesus flouts traditional vows of poverty.
He says he has a church-paid salary of $136,000 but lives more lavishly than that. During an interview, he showed off a diamond-encrusted Rolex to a CNN crew and said he has three just like them. He travels in armored Lexuses and BMWs, he says, for his safety. All are gifts from his devoted followers.
And what about the tattoo of 666 on his arm?
Although it's a number usually associated with Satan, not the son of God, de Jesus says that 666 and the Antichrist are, like him, misunderstood.
The Antichrist is not the devil, de Jesus tells his congregation; he's the being who replaces Jesus on Earth.
"Antichrist is the best person in the world," he says. "Antichrist means don't put your eyes on Jesus because Jesus of Nazareth wasn't a Christian. Antichrist means do not put your eyes on Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Put it on Jesus after the cross."
And de Jesus says that means him.
So far, de Jesus says that his flock hasn't been scared off by his claims of being the Antichrist. In a show of the sway he holds over the group, 30 members of his congregation Tuesday went to a tattoo parlor to have 666 also permanently etched onto their skin.
He may wield influence over them, but his followers say don't expect them to go the way of people who believed in David Koresh and Jim Jones. Just by finding de Jesus, they say, they have achieved their purpose.
"If somebody tells us drink some Kool-Aid and we'll go to heaven, that's not true. We are already in heavenly places," follower Martita Roca told CNN after having 666 tattooed onto her ankle.

Day 47 is here in the non-smokers realm!

Damn, I feel as though every where I turn in this life thing, stress tries to make itself so apparent to me, it's as if I try to remove stressful situations and all I get is more to deal with. You know? First off, my GF says she feels lied to about some situations we have been discussing. We were discussing us moving in together in March or April. Well, I finally told her, in a not so subtle way that I don't want to live in the trailer she has, mainly because it's out of the way to my job, another thing is, I don't want to put myself in a stressed situation living in a trashy trailer park or in a delapidated trailer that isn't worth the money she pays to live there! I have a crappy apartment that is 2 times better than where she lives right now. But, our son goes to school out where she lives. In almost everything we've talked about, it feels as though I am supposed to compromise on what I want, just to please her. And if I don't do what pleases her, I feel as though she will lord our son and visitation with him over me as she's done in the past years. I called her today to talk to her and she is "mad" over the fact that where she "thought" we stood, we don't, that's where her "I feel lied to" comes from.

I say I should remain single, get regular visits with my son and let that be the extent of it all. Besides the fact, her family doesn't think I am worth a shit, for her or our son, not that they really count in my worthy opinion category. So, I think I will forget trying to maintain anything but a "professional" relationship with her and keep all else as it should be. I'll finalize my divorce and move on with my life the way I thought it should have been to begin with.

So there!

So, it's been 44 days no smoking for me! I still feel like I should be happier than I feel right this minute. But alas, I can only feel as jovial as I am feeling. You know?

Does anyone else feel like the IRS is part of a scheme in alliance with the Mafia? Like, in order to work or do anything in this society you have to pay the government! Did you know that the IRS was an invented office by the President and Congress to help the USA out of the great depression? Yes, after all of these years, they only exist because someone, in their great understanding has allowed this office to remain in action, even though we really don't have a need for them! So, in effect, we should lobby to dis-assemble the IRS completely! After all, why should we bust our asses day after day just to see our hard earned dollars get taken from us a 2nd time? We already pay to live, eat, stay dressed, travel, own cars etc, why should we be robbed even more?

So, how do we amend this office? Do we even stand a chance with such an "incredulous" idea?

Even so, I guess I am still happy with the majority of our freedoms in our "lovely" country. At least I can speak my mind, for now. Just wait til some goon out there decides that I am a threat because of my views. LOL! I would love the publicity that would give me! Bring it on!!!

Anyway...I have a word that I figured I would share with whoever reads this blog.

It's a word I think every person involved with A "religion" should know. Dispensationalism. Look it up. I bet the majority of people would either recoil in horror or be completely confused. I think that because of the introduction of this term/belief system, there has been a GIANT misconception related to this thought process. Not only has it been taught to me all of my life, unknowingly, but it has been the foundation to almost every denomination we have in our country. That's why I am spiritual, not religious.

Anyways, happy Presidents day to America. Go spend as much money as you can while it's worth a crap.

Peace.

Well, it's been 41 days and I'm still counting the days, yes I am! Not smoking was one of, if not the greatest decisions I have made so far this year.

As for the news, well, it's no surprise that someone has killed someone else in our country. First up:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- A trench coat-clad teenager opened fire on shoppers at a mall with just one thing in mind: "to kill a large number of people," the police chief said Tuesday.
The gunman likely would have killed more than the five victims who died had an off-duty officer not confronted him, Police Chief Chris Burbank added.

Okay, now we cannot count on the killing happening in just anyplace outside of malls, now our shopping experience can be or will become a massacre? You know what? If and when we really start to pay attention to the mass of young people reaching out for help in this messed up world, we MAY be able to catch some of the distressed ones BEFORE they go crazy on our town/cities.
For real though, how many folks will claim that this young man was "the kid next door"? How many will claim that he had a perfect life, good parents, good neighborhood, above average in school etc...like it matters! I'll tell you straight, right now...I have great parents, I grew up in a family that believed in talking about issues. True, I was not the picture of perfection in school or otherwise everyday of my life, but, if I had a bad day at school or wherever, I could count on my family to let me talk it out. I have never thought seriously about killing anyone in revenge or because I was distraught. I have had some very stressed out days to be true, not unlike many of us out there. I think that our society is headed for a major breakdown. I feel as though these local and nationwide killings are just the beginning of some serious community issues. Are we ready to deal with the reality of it all? I don't think anyone is truthfully ready for this. I believe that with proper upbringing some of this could be avoided. I also believe that with certain restrictions on our young people in place, we may be able to avoid repetitions in the future. I know this doesn't cover or make much sense after the fact, but, we need to be more involved with our young people! Not just in after school sports! Not in just what happened at school and then leave the kid alone after a pat answer! Be involved!! Ask questions of your child, press for answers when they balk! DOn't be afraid that you're invading their privacy, if they live at home, then privacy should not be an issue! Parents, rise up and take responsibility for our actions! The younger generation is busy killing itself rapidly. Almost too rapid to keep up. Before long, gangs, murders on the streets will pale in comparison to what happens in middle class America, suburbia etc.

Not that it matters, I know I have a limited if that is the correct term for my reader base, or fan base, whatever. But, if I cause offense to anyone out there, I hope it provokes some if not all to take a short time out and consider the true reason behind my rants. To remain provoked to think independently of the norm, circumvent the typical thought process. To think outside the freaking box! That is the real reason I started blogging to begin with!

Well, until tomorrow, or the next time I write...

Peace.