Friday "Cats & Dogs" Blogging

Yesterday, it finally rained. The first measurable rain in four months.

It was a heavy rain that lasted for two hours. Hey, after a long dry stretch, it was wonderful, even if it was just a couple of hours.




We have been in a major drought. The grass is brown, trees are dying, lake levels are at historic low levels. While parts of Texas are being washed away, Alabama is becoming a desert.

I love rain in the summertime. I love to run in the rain, or do just about anything else, like hiking, washing the car, or just sitting on the porch during a summer storm.

I want more. Not like I have any control over it, like our Governor.

Yesterday was June 28. two days before the start of Alabama Governor Bob Riley's Precipitation Proclaimation:

"I, Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby encourage citizens of Alabama to pray daily for rain."

He further proclaimed June 30 - July 7 as Days of Prayer for Rain and he encouraged Alabamians to pray both at home and in churches for "sufficient" moisture.

Meanwhile, the previous Governor, Don Siegelman, was sentenced to seven years in prison. These are the people we elect to represent us.

We are fucked.

.

Can I "Bum" a Smoke?

Why I don't get drunk anymore. Drinking "buddies" my ass

Captions anyone? (m)Ann Coulter references allowed.

.

Soy What!

Over at My Thinking Spot, supergirlest is saying bye bye, soy...

Many of my friends are vegetarians and vegans. Has everyone heard about this "dark side of soy"? I left her this comment about my experience, when I started eating more soy in place of meat in my diet:

I too stepped on the soy bandwagon when I tried to become a vegetarian.

My mother's side of the family has always had problems with anemia, and I've always had low iron levels when I've had my blood tested.

In 2005, I went completely vegetarian, replacing much of the meat with soy based recipes. In Jan 2006 I had a physical, and my doctor told me my iron levels were too low (otherwise I was in great shape for someone my age). I tried to increase my iron thru my diet, but it wasn't working. By March I was back at the doctor because of severe RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), and I couldn't sleep because it, my legs just felt like I needed to stretch them. If I did fall asleep, the legs would wake me up with uncomfortable sensations and electric feeling twinges.

After seeing a neurologist, he confirmed the RLS, and he prescribed the widely advertised drug for it. It worked for me, but he also said that my iron and ferretin levels were way too low, almost nonexistent. I started taking iron supplements and in less than a week the RLS was gone without the RLS drug.

Then I find out that soy actually blocks the absorption of iron.

I'm also a runner, and in the south, during the summer, I produce tons of sweat. I am soaking wet after any run, if the temp is over 70. We lose a lot of iron in sweat, so that wasn't helping, but I wasn't about to give up running.

I changed my diet again, including foods that help the body absorb iron, but no red meat, only fish, and some poultry, and much less soy. I still enjoy edamame from time to time, it is my favorite bean. (I also make a tasty black bean chili, with blackstrap molasses, that is high in iron).

I also noticed that after I changed my diet, my running improved, and I didn't have so many problems with muscle pain and recovery after long runs.

Now last week, I learn that taking iron supplements has been identified as a cause for some types of cancer.......

DAMN IT! What now. We need the people like the oriental plant experts that knew what foods we should consume to keep us healthy. Now we just have fascist corporation creating foods in the lab that only taste good and sell well, but making us sick. The almighty dollar is only thing that matters here, making us ill and, providing the healthcare industry with long term revenues. I think it is a conspiracy.

Don't get me started on the bad things that sugar substitutes do to the body, and trans-fat is just plain poison, causes inflammation, it's all bad. These things make our foods taste better, feel better, but rages havoc on our health, so we go to the doctor to get drugs to make us feel better, and then other drugs to counter the side effects of the first drugs, and then its a downward spiral?

Where/When does it end? It ends when we stop buying all this convenience, and start living more "natural".

Thoughts?

Odd Way Thinking

I have odd thoughts.

For instance; I believe that two consenting adults should be able to live together any way they wish, even as a life-long couple, as in a marriage or union or whatever term they want to use to publicize their commitment to each other. What they do to love each is their own business.

For the record let me state that I'm straight. It makes me uncomfortable to think about two men together, and I have no desire to be with another man that way. I don't even want to see them holding hands, or cuddling. Two women together, well, that is art, and I have no problem with that. I don't choose these preferences, they are just there.

No, I don't think that is an odd way to think. I'm very tolerate, and I think it is ignorant to think everyone must think the same as I do. I'm wise enough to know that not all people think alike, or have the same preferences I do, and I shouldn't use my likes and dislikes to judge others.

A religious person I once dated tried to tell me why homosexuality was wrong. Besides the bible stories stating that homosexuality is an abomination (it also says the same thing about menstruation), the reason that a union can only be between a man and a women is; "Mr. Deity" blesses that love by allowing them to create life together, just as "Mr. Deity" created us. Love creates life. A gay couple cannot conceive a child naturally, so they can't participate with "Mr. Deity" in the creation of life. So that isn't love.

So, I asked, that would put celibacy and abstinence (purity, yeah right) on the same level as homosexuality, right?

Blank Stare


.

Ready, Set, STOP

Are you ready?

Ready for what?

To stop our illegal occupation of Iraq?

YES! We are ready.




Peacechick Mary in her She Wore Sea Green post, screams:

STOP THIS UGLY, DECEITFUL BLOODY WAR!

Good! 70% say they are ready! Lets see if you're really ready.

The people we elected aren't going to do it for us, they've been bought out by the same corporations that control this action.

We can stop this, but it is going to take some peaceful inaction to get this done.

Peaceful Inaction? What the hell are you talking about?

Sacrifice!

After the attacks on the U.S. by religious extremists on September 11, 2001, the world stood stood on our side to bring justice to those who were responsible. We were told by our "leader" to go back to our normal lives and let us handle the dirty work of war against those responsible for the attacks.

Although shocked, saddened, and fearful, we returned to our daily routines. We let "them" handle the situation.

The majority of the U.S. made no sacrifice.

I honor those who have made sacrifices; their lives, their health, their loved ones, their children.

Our leaders abused their authority, mismanaged the response, lied and misled us with purposely deceitful information to justify their bloody deeds.

We must protest LOUDLY. LOUDER than screams and shouts!

We must be ready to sacrifice.

What can we do?

Peaceful inaction! You don't have to do anything. In fact a lot less than you're doing now.

The way we can get our leaders to sit up and take notice;

- Stop being a consumer.
- Stop unnecessary shopping.
- Stop going out to eat.
- Stop making unnecessary trips.
- No unnecessary purchases of any type.
- Refuse to celebrate holidays (YES, even the ones in late December).
- If we're still not LOUD enough, then stop working.
- STOP our normal everyday routine.

Yes, it would be quite a sacrifice.

HOWEVER - I'm not asking you give up your life, your health, those you love, or your children.

.

A Boy and His Dog

What ever happened to the Brady Bunch's Dog, Tiger?

We have seen countless boring, empty, entertainless distractions about the other members of the Brady Bunch cast, but what ever happened to Tiger?

One year after the Bunch finally disbanded, "Tiger" had a starring role this movie with Don Johnson and Jason Robards: A Boy and His Dog.

I cannot confirm if this is the same dog, it is only a rumor. I've seen other rumors that Tiger was killed on the set of Brady Bunch. I'll keep my delusion that Tiger went on to bigger and better roles with the soon-to-be famous Miami Vice star.

Please don't believe the urban legend about the "Tiger and Alice" affair, I think it was a publicity stunt.



A Boy and His Dog is "A post-apocalyptic tale based on a novella by Harlan Ellison. A boy communicates telepathically with his dog as they scavenge for food and sex....". The dog is the wiser of the two companions.

This movie will never make the American Film Institute list of greatest 100 movies.

The movie is so bad, it is good - in a MST3K sort of way. The ending is very satisfying, but I will not spoil the plot. Lets just say they meet a girl, girl deceives boy, and they end up a having dinner date. Definitely not a film for children

The movie and short story are widely attacked for being misogynistic. It's bad entertainment, but has much to say about how "civilized" society treats those it considers "uncivilized". Keep an open mind, and enjoy the tasteless, brutally cynical humor, which will challenge our distinctions between good and bad, right and wrong, hero and villain, winning and losing.

This ending of this movie is a tasty treat.

-- This post was inspired by kelly the little black dog

Peaches On My Mind

The voices scream at me when I'm out running. I wish I could store and review all the great ideas and rants I have while I'm out running. By the time I get back to the keyboard, the voices are quiet, or I decide they might have been little too harsh.

I can write whole blog posts in my head while I'm out running, even organizing and rearranging different ideas of the post. By the time I get a chance to put the ideas on the blog, they are gone. I remember what I wanted to say, but can never seem to put it down the way I internalized it, or I can't get motivated to write it out.

Sometimes my favorite music plays in my head, or tunes that annoyingly get stuck on repeat. When that happens, time and miles seem to go at faster pace. I like it when the music plays. I don't use headphones during the runs, since I'm on the road and want to hear the car or Dog chasing me. Besides, they interfere with the voices, and they never agree on what music they like.

This weekend is the annual Peach Run 10K in Clanton Alabama. All awards include a basket of peaches.

"Millions of Peaches, Peaches for me, Millions of Peaches, Peaches for free,....."

Last year, I had that song stuck in my head: Peaches. Please play it, so it gets stuck in your head, because I know it'll be on endless repeat in mine during the run, again, but that's a good thing. I'd rather have music than the voices.

2007 CHILTON COUNTY PEACH FESTIVAL - PEACHES, PAGEANTS AND PRETTY GIRLS (That's Alabama for you)

Don't forget to play that music: Peaches

.

Chris & Kelley

One month ago, I was in Virginia Beach attending their wedding. Tomorrow, June 19, will be Chris & Kelley's one month anniversary. I just found out they will be moving to North Carolina next month. For my son and new daughter-in-law, I wish them the best.

Here's some pictures from the wedding, from the official photographer, Atlantis Photo.

Chris & Kelley

Chris & Dad (niCk)

Kelley

Chris & Kelley Toast

The flower girl was the best dancer, I think she had more fun than anyone else.

More will be available later, I'll post a link to them.

Dreams

Recently, I saw a news segment about dreaming, and how the mind uses sleep time to reaarange, connect, and basically "defrag" the memories stored in the mind. Without sleep, IQ levels decrease and memory problems increase.

Anyway, that isn't the point of today's post.

I have always had very vivid dreams. My dreams are quite entertaining, even the scary ones, I enjoy them all. The best dreams are the ones where I know I'm dreaming and can take control. These lucid dreams result in my ability to fly anywhere at will and to make anything I wish happen, the flying is such a great feeling. I have learned to take that feeling of falling when you first fall asleep and recognize that I'm dreaming, and take control of the dream. I also learned to recognize when the dream is about to end and make it last a bit longer by taking and spinning myself in the dream. I don't know why this works, but it does.

These lucid dreams don't happen very often, but when it does, I always wake up in such a good mood, a natural high that seems to last for days. Is it the dream doing this, or is there something else in my mind causing the elated mood and lucidity.

The reason I started writing today's post, was to document one of my vivid dreams, one of those entertaining dreams, that I had last night. It was not a lucid dream, but I still woke up left me in a good mood.

Last night I dreamed I died, but my consciousness was still aware.

The details of the dream are starting to fade, as they always do, but I still remember some vivid parts. I was leaving someplace in my car, and as I often do, fumbling to attach the seat belt after I have started driving. But no matter how much I fumbled with the belt I couldn't get it attached. It was slipping from my hand, or the car was running off the road so I had to steer it back into position. I was on a busy highway. Then a cement truck was directly in front of me, and I remember thinking that if I don't attach the belt, I'm going to die when I hit the truck. There is no violent crash, or blood, or anything scary. I just remember the truck in front of me, then a moment of blurriness, then walking up to my apartment. Several things happen with me trying to get in, but most are very fuzzy now, but I remember my family from my past, my ex-wife, son and daughter in a state of mourning. I remember thinking that I'm dead, but it was alright. My daughter who is grown now, and has her own family, was there, but she was only around 10 years old. I remember going to her to tell her I was here, and embracing her. She told her mother "daddy is here" with us. As they go out the door, we are in another house, a house from the past we had out west. They are leaving. (Here I remember that I didn't recognize the car and thinking why she would buy that car). As they are leaving, I try to catch up to them, but I'm unable to leave the yard, something is holding me back. This brings tears to my eyes, because it from a memory from the lowest point in my life, a significant emotional event that has had a great influence on my current mental state. I woke up very sad, but my mood turned around quickly. I don't know why.

Is it the function of the dreams to revive memories and put them in perspective? To connect past memories to current ones? To give a you a fresh outlook on your current life. Whenever I have these vivid dreams, no matter if they are scary, sad, happy, or naughty, I'm always in a good mood for the rest of the day, which is unusual for me, to go through a whole day a not get that melancholy feeling when I start feeling tired.

Dog Days

Today's Dog Blogging picture is available as a link at the end of this post. It is mind-numbingly cute, and I wanted to post a warning before showing it.

The hot "Dog Days" of summer are here. It has been hot here in the Heart of Alabama since the middle of April, now it is just intolerable, three days so far over 100, and extremely humid, and it's not even summer yet for another week (almost).

This time of the year is not referred to as the Dog days because of the heat, it is because of this Spirit in the Sky, the bright star Sirius, located in the constellation Canis Major.

Dog Days is also the title of a new book (full title is Dog Days: Dispatches from Bedlam Farm) by one my favorite authors, Jon Katz, who has several books about his adventures with his dogs and farm animals on his Bedlam Farm.

Here is a picture of one of his border collie's, which can be seen on his website, and the cover of the new book:

Izzy (Warning: Cuteness Overload. Don't say I didn't warn you.)



.

Inner Peace

Is having inner peace a good thing? When events happen in the world, and I strongly agree, or disagree with them, the inner voices start shouting at me.

The reason I started this blog was to have an outlet for these voices to be heard, and I wanted a record of the conversations I have with these thoughts. For years I was living with the frustrations of these inner voices that have different opinions from the popular ones of most those around me were voicing out loud.

I knew my thought process was different from others, I had trouble finding people who had the same voices in their head. Okay, you might not call them voices, but that's what I call them. They are not imaginary friends, those creatures only appear when I'm alone.

I noticed something when I started writing about these voices and let others know my "deviant" thoughts. The voices would go away for awhile. The blog was working at giving me some "inner peace", even if the vast majority would never know or read these ramblings.

This country and world is still messed up, but my mind is more clearer. There is nothing I can do to change the way others think, I can only serve as an example or warning to others.

They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something's better
On the other side

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you got to rise above

- No Such Thing, John Mayer

.

Handle With Care

I have nothing for you today, call it blogger's block, or as I told Nancy this morning, I'm suffering from brain deadness. The coffee isn't helping. I should enjoy this time when the voices aren't shouting at me.

So today, I will showing off my middle-aged mediocrity. I leave you with an old song from the past supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys, whose entire collection will be re-released today. They have been unavailable for some time, the original releases becoming collector items. I have the originals tucked away in some box somewhere, from an age before digital music.

Music: The End Of The Line
Lyrics Here

A Sunday Thought

I am wrong!

In matters of theology, I am wrong. It doesn't matter what I learn, think or say about the subject, I will never know the truth...

...nor will you.

The "truth" is not based on beliefs. Truth is based on facts we know. If you know an idea to be true, then it is no longer "faith". Faith and Truth have two different definitions, and one can never be the other. Once a belief is based on facts and it becomes truth, then it can no longer be faith.

If we say we know the "truth" about creation, and anyone who doesn't follow that belief is wrong, that is religion, or in other words, your opinion. It doesn't matter the type of belief, if you say ONLY those that agree with you are right, then are have just discredited yourself in regards to theology.

If you agree with me, remember this: I am wrong!

Follow your head and your heart, if you do not believe what your head and heart tell you is true, and choose to live by the words of other men, then you are a hypocrite and are only using the beliefs of others to be accepted by them.

Yes, I'm wrong about the origins of the universe, and I will never know the truth, and that's okay for me.

There is a vacuous old man that leaves religious messages on my blog. He thinks he is right and everyone else is wrong. He calls it spirituality, but he is just another religion making the world more intolerant and bigoted. If you know you are right, than I'm happy for you. Please keep leaving your messages, it confirms your ignorance, and lack of faith, for others to see. This is not a people planet, it is planet of many diverse life forms, and the late-coming human animals are just one of millions. If you think differently, then you are just being human.

Of course, I'm wrong!



Thanks:
● To Blue Gal for the Peanuts strip, the inspirition for todays post.
● To Evil Spock for making me look up the word vacuous, and providing the perfect example of that word.
● To the creepy religious old man who knows everything.

Year Of The Dog

Year Of The Dog is a dark comedy from Mike White who has written and co-starred in other movie gems like The Good Girl, Orange County, and School of Rock. This movie is his directorial debut. It is refreshing look at the psychology of our relationships with humans and pets. I love this movie because I can relate to the feelings of the main character, Peggy, and how she interacts with the human world she doesn't quite understand.

From Fandango: Peggy (Molly Shannon) is a happy-go-lucky secretary - a great friend, employee, and sister who lives alone with her beloved dog. When Pencil unexpectedly dies, Peggy must embark on a journey of personal transformation that is hilarious, poignant and heartbreaking.

Read more here.

This independent movie is hard to find, but it is one of the few movies I've seen this year that I'd recommend. I expect it to be released on video soon.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Don't confuse this movie with A Dog Year, based on the life and writings of Jon Katz due out later this year. I've written about this non-fiction work on a previous Friday post.

I'm a big Jon Katz fan. He has written columns for HotWired and Slate.com, and has also worked as an executive producer of the CBS Morning News. I've eagerly been awaiting the release of this movie in which Jon, portrayed by Jeff Bridges, is going through a mid-life crisis, seeking solitude, while adopting a hyper-active border collie, and dealing with the death of another of his constant canine companions, a yellow Labrador he considered a soul mate.

IMDB Page: A Dog Year

Finishing What You

(Nancy, here's your pic. I am a runner, and runner's do not have bulging thighs like bodybuilders, most are very slendor)

Running isn't a religion, but it can feel like one sometimes, and only runners can know what I mean. The late great running philosopher George Sheehan M.D., author of "Running & Being",once said that his wife tells people "My husband used to be a Methodist. Now he's a runner". Running is a place to get away from your worries and crises. A place to commune with nature, with the universe and yourself, a place for psychological and spiritual renewal.

A church is not defined by a building and "God" is not defined by words in books. "Church" is a place where people of shared beliefs gather to connect with themselves, those around them, and give thanks for the blessings the universe is sharing with them. It is the fellowship which is important, not the sermon, or the religious observance. The roads and trails are my church, sometimes the church is full, sometimes I'm the only one in attendance, it doesn't matter. I reflect, I dream, I meditate, and I give thanks.

To paraphrase George Sheehan, "(This) glimpse of heaven is available to anyone, anywhere, anytime."

Destination Unknown

Running In Circles

( Click on comic to enlarge)

Step one: We need to talk.

Hello, it's me. I have not changed. I have only given the voices an outlet.

Today's Music leads to this: bittersweet inspiration

"Between the lines of fear and blame

You begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness"

- The Fray, How To Save A Life

Two Thousand Moons

Moons. Two Thousand. All Shapes, Colors, and Sizes.



Lets get a better look at the moons:



This makes me want to go streaking, but sadly I am an moonless man, you'll just have to enjoy the other features.

.

One Nation, Under Dog

I was planning on using this slogan "One Nation, Under Dog" as a title to a blog post. (I just did). Before I could jump on it, it comes out as the tagline for a new movie based on the comic book and cartoon superhero Underdog. The fascist metastasizing corporate entertainment rodents at Disney are releasing the movie in August, forever changing the image of Underdog for the next generation of loyal brainwashed thought deficient humans.

Wait, I have a great idea, just in time for release of this movie. Why hadn't I thought about this before; replacing the token insulting deity reference "under god" in our socialist style Pledge of Allegiance, with "Under Dog".

The reference "God" in the pledge is undefined and basically useless, there are many definitions, and everyone has their own opinion. The God reference was added in 1954 as an afterthought years after the pledge's creation (1892).

Dog is not an ambiguous term, there is no confusion when someone talks about their Dog. Let's end the cultural tyranny which has no place in a society based on religious liberty. Changing the reference to "Under Dog" would have a direct commercial application, a movie tie-in, and the Disneyesque type pledge is certain to be approved by our culturally-ignorant media based parental units.

Hell, lets make Disney a religion! It is more commercially spiritual than the old style church type religions. Instead of just passing the plate, we pay admission, then we get entertaining images, a little music and dancing, and get taken for a ride. (Oh wait, churches do take us for a ride, don't they?)

The Church of Disney, with Mickey nailed to a dollar sign. We are saved!

"There's no need to fear, Underdog is here."

So today I use this slogan (see title). Soon catatonic kiddies will start repeating it as their replacement for "WWJD".

(Blasphemy! I must stop now, someone come over and slap me. I'm destined to spend eternity inside Space Mountain, where the bad people go. The good people go to Cinderella's Castle. With lots of little Tinkerbell faerie angels floating around. I do, I do, I do believe in faeries.) STOP IT! STOP IT! - Damn voices! Please make them stop.

/*********** S w i t c h i n g * V o i c e s *************/

The Black Dog has kept me company this week, and I kind of liked his company, I'm getting kind of use to it. In fact, I went out and got some of this special brew to share with my friend. His slogan is "No Whiners".

.