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.

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Can I "Bum" a Smoke?

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

Captions anyone? (m)Ann Coulter references allowed.

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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


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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.

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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

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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.)



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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

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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.

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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".

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Picking Up The Pieces

Brick Art

I feel like that blue man in the middle, slowly trying to put myself back together. I wonder if all the pieces are still there?

What's missing? There should be a pink female sculpture, eating the blue pieces. (Shut-up niCk, you don't have to listen to all the voices.)

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Stick a needle..........

The air blows in from Georgia. My eyes tear, sting, and itch. It is hard to breathe. I lay in bed wheezing, sleep will not visit me.

The air from Georgia makes it hard to see clearly. It reaches into my body and scratches its way back out, leaving sharp scars that never heal.

I long for more.
Pain in me.

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

"Why Georgia, Why" - Van Gogh Knew

(The smoke drifting in from the fires in the Okefenokee and Florida is also very irritating)

Active Voice

Words.

Actions.

These are just words, they are not actions.

Fuck is just a (word?obscenity?exclamation?).

Love is a word. Love is an action.

Some use words to express love. Some show their love by tearing off a piece of their soul to be trampled on and abused.

I can no longer ACT ACT ACT ACT ACT on my feelings, so I fill the empty spaces with WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS .

Go ahead, "Take another little piece........"

Love.

Luscious

My friend Nancy had to part with a dear friend today. I cannot imagine the grief she is feeling now. The stronger the love, the more painful the parting.

Some time ago I posted a poem from unknown author called The Spirit of a Dog. Nancy commented that it reminded her of Luscious.





Nancy, always keep her in your memories.
Thanks for being a great friend, I'm sorry to hear about Luscious.

I"ll post the poem again today for Lush:

The Spirit Of A Dog

I was standing on a hillside
In a field of blowing wheat,
And the spirit of a dog
Was lying at my feet.

He looked at me with kind dark eyes,
Ancient wisdom shining through.
In the essence of his being,
I saw the love there too.

His mind did lock upon my heart
As I stood there on that day,
And he told me of this story
About a place so far away.

As I stood upon that hillside
In a field of blowing wheat,
In a twinkling of a second
His spirit left my feet.

His tale did put my heart at ease,
All my fears did fade away
About what lay ahead of me
On another distant day.

"I live among the spirits now
In the heavens of your mind,
So do not grieve for me, my friend
As I am with my kind.

My collar is a rainbow's hue,
My leash is a shooting star.
My boundaries are the Milky Way
Where I sparkle from afar.

There are no pens or kennels here
For I am not confined,
But I'm free to roam the heavens
Among the Doggie kind.

I nap the day on a snowy cloud
Gentle breezes rocking me,
And dream the dreams of earthlings,
And how it used to be.

The trees are full of liver treats,
And tennis balls abound,
And dog treats line the walkways
Just waiting to be found.

There even is a ring set up,
The grass all lush and green;
And everyone who gaits around
Becomes the Best of Breed.

For we're all winners in this place;
We have no faults, you see.
And the judge passes out those ribbons
To each one, even me.

I drink from waters laced with gold,
My world a beauty to behold;
And wise old dogs do form my pride
To amble at my very side.

At night I sleep in comfort's arms,
The stars protecting me,
And moonbeams dance about us
As stardust falls on thee.

So when your life on earth is spent
And you stand at Heaven's gate,
Have no fear of loneliness
--For here, you know, I wait".

- author unknown

Running Away

I have an addiction. Some people praise me the more satisfy my cravings. Other's ask why. The addiction controls me. I cannot function properly until my craving is fulfilled. It consumes my life. I don't feel right until get what I need. If I'm depressed, a fix instantly improves my mood. If I'm mad, it quells the rage. When anxious, it calms me, when I can't think clearly, it clears my mind. If I can't satisfy my hunger, my addiction suppresses the appetite. I use it to handle all my problems.

My addiction is running. I started running to stay in shape. I was in the military and was tested once year, and the test was running. But now, I don't need to run. I run because I want to. I've tried to quit, but I just end up wanting to run even more. Most people think running is a healthy activity, but is it healthy when it becomes an obsession? My whole social life revolves around the next weekend running event that I'll attend. I'm not fast enough to win any awards, but I get an occasional door prize. But there are many other running addcits that I can talk to about this addiction. Running has become more important than work. If I couldn't run because of work, I'd have to find another job, or another way to make a living.

Is there a runner's anonymous? I have not been resting like I should be, I have been sneaking out and running, and I don't feel bad about it. Should I just sit still and feel depressed about not being able to do the things I enjoy, or should I just do them and enjoy life the only way I know how?

Dogs love to run, I'm just middle-aged dog.

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Blind Allegiance

This is the last frame of today's Dilbert strip.

(Scott, I'm giving you full credit and even kept the copyright mark on your work, so please don't sue me for stealing your work for my use.)


This is what little Bu$h Junior expects from you while he destroys the foundation of our nation.

/* Sarcasm On */
No Thinking! If you think, you are a bad American. STOP all thinking! We are supposed be a nation of under-achiever's, with Homer Simpson as our Hero, Bart Simpson as our future. Let the government do your thinking for you, they know best.

Become a good U.S. American, stop forming your own opinions, bad people, take your feel-good drugs, and always smile, you are being watched. Smile DAMMMIT!
/* Sarcasm Off */

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Comment Whore

I'm back, but I'm really busy trying to play catch-up, while all my other co-workers party, someone has to clean up this mess (not really, my importance is only a delusion).

It's lurker call. If you come here and read my incredibly incredible ramblings, please leave me a comment and say "Hi", "Fuck Off", "I want you", or something witty and clever.

I want comments. This is your chance to stand up and be heard, at least by me and the other lurkers that read my comments. It makes a narcisstic arse like myself feel loved. P-P-P-P-Please make me feel the love. Don't be gentle!

Conundrum

Don't get greedy, pick just one:

Would you rather be asked a question or read my blog?

Sometimes choices are made for us. If I had my way, I'd run everyday, even if it hurt. But pain is telling me to rest for a while. I have a tendon on the back of my leg that gets severely inflamed every time I run. Running actually makes the pain go away for a short time, but then it returns, even worse after I've rested. So, it is not my choice, I must rest if I want to keep running. It is not an easy choice. I went home yesterday and had to force myself not to run. A voice in my head kept saying "Just one more run, then start resting", but I ignored it. The running and the races, my whole life (at least the part of it I enjoy), will be put on hold for a couple of weeks.

I will be leaving tomorrow to spend a week in Virginia, so this is a good time to put a hold on the running. My son, who will turn 25 next month, is getting married on Saturday.

I also will have to put a hold on the blogging for a little while. I demand that y'all behave while I'm away. Party and laugh all you want, this would be a good time to ridicule the guy with "voices in his head". I know, I know; you already do that.

Be back as soon as I can.

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Caring, Dignified, Almost Needless,......

Caring, Dignified, Almost Needless, Quiet, Moody, Picky, and Impatient.

The other day a co-worker called me moody. I picked up my mouse and and tossed it into the monitor, and replied pack in an upset tone "I'm not MOODY!", stood up and walked away in a flurry of rage. The whole scene was supposed to be my attempt at humor.

Later, the coworker came by and apologized, saying she didn't mean to upset me. I told it didn't, I was trying to be funny. She insisted "No, you were upset". I couldn't convince I was just playing around being moody because she called me moody.

This is one of the qualities I lack, which so many seek. I will not be the one to make you laugh. I have a dry sense of humor, sometimes all I can manage out of people are puzzled looks. I do have a great sense of humor, but sometimes it hard to tell when I'm "humored" because I don't always laugh at the humor I find funny.

So should I change my "Personal Ad" to reflect all the honesty about myself? Would that work and not discourage potential victims dates? What do women really want?

BTW, I haven't had a date in over a year, I haven't been trying. I don't know if I can expose the real me to anyone else and not feel bad about it.

Here is my Personal Ad, let's waste time Chasing Cars.

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Thank Dog Its Friday

I'm sure we've all heard that phrase, I know a couple of my unreal sicko blog friends shout that phrase at me knowing I find Dogs more spiritual than the human inspired gods.

Dogs know what love is, they seem to give it unconditonally, and they keep showing us how to love, no matter how badly we behave to them or to each other. They treat us as if we are are their gods - we don't deserve it.

In keeping with my theme this week and shouting out about my favorite bloggers, I saved the best for last. WhAt'S oN mY mInD? is the random "babblings" of Nancy, the slave of Luscious and Honey. These three beautiful creatures remind us, even when we think that life seems too difficult to continue, there are many people fighting to live. It's worth the fight, and she only has too look at her two canine companions for all the reasons in the world to live. She will say what is on her mind, rant about the challenges the universe has created for her, and babble about the wonderful people and canines in her life, letting us know "Life is Good".

Anyhow, I surf my way over to her blog to scrape up some material for today's post, and there she is blogging about some guy who hears voices. That's great, all we need is another sicko blogger hearing voices in his head, how many mentally abnormal bloggers can the blogosphere hold. However, the other links to the blogs she babbled about today in her Interesting Concepts post are great, she does have good taste in blogs, but don't pay too much attention to the guys with voices in their heads, they'll be trouble.

Nancy, I want to imbed a song here for you. I don't have time at the moment, but I'll come back later and try to do that. It'll be something new for me to learn.

The song is Suddenly I See by KT Tunstall. (Click title to play song)

Veggie Lover's ***UPDATED***

I wonder if they found a health-freak street person:

(CNN) -- Just hours before his execution by injection, a Tennessee death row prisoner who was convicted of killing a police officer ordered his final meal -- pizza for a homeless person.

Philip Workman, 53, requested a vegetarian pizza be delivered to a homeless person in Nashville, Workman's attorney confirmed.

The action of this man on the day he was to be murdered by the state of Tennessee, was thoughtful, with an evil edge. He gave up his last meal, to feed someone in need and who had more life in front of them than himself. I'm sure he made it a "Veggie Lover's" because he had some grudge against a carnivorous homeless person.

This makes think of one of my favorite bloggers: Evil Spock

UPDATE **** UPDATE **** UPDATE

The officials performing the murder were not ready to commit any acts of morality. To keep their tradition of hypocrisy, here is what happened:

Prison officials refused to honor his request, saying that they do not donate to charities.

That apparently upset a few people willing to pay for and deliver a lot of pies themselves.

Homeless shelters across Nashville were inundated with donated pizzas all Wednesday.

Donna Spangler heard about Workman's request and immediately called her friends. They all pitched in for the $1,200 bill to buy 150 pizzas, which they sent to the Rescue Mission.

"Philip Workman was trying to do a good deed and no one would help him," said the 55-year-old who recruited a co-worker to help her make the massive delivery Wednesday evening.

Blast Fame E

I'm still only surfing, I've been a little too busy to come up with anything "heavy" for me to controvert.

I found this wonderful music video over at Katie Schwartz's place: Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis

In case you want to sing along: Lyrics

The picture is a link to Eric Schwartz's website, where you can find all his music and lyrics.

I wish I had more of those hypo-Christian and Neo-Conservative readers. I think they'd like this.


AND....

Care of Badtux:

Your Ideal Pet is a Big Dog

You're both energetic, affectionate, and a bit goofy. And neither of you seem to mind very slobbery kisses!

What's Your Ideal Pet?

Well, duh, no surprises here!

Where in the world.......

I've been spending this Sunday being lazy and just reading my favorite blogs. It's been a long time since I had a Sunday to just do nothing but what I wanted to do. Thank Dog I have blogs to keep me entertained, TV is sooooooooooooooooooo boring.

It's amazing how time flies when I'm blog surfing.

If you have time, cruise by Texas Oasis and wish Blueberry a Happy Second Blogiversary. She and I have lots in common, and I'm sure, just as many differences. She is an introverted, skeptical, weird, military brat who also lived in New Mexico, and has similar taste in music. Happy Blogiversary, Blueberry.

Then I surfed by Sarah, and the adventures with the Goon Squad, her toddler twins. Her post today is "How Many States have you Lived In? An Informal Poll". Being a military brat, and a military veteran, I started counting them up. Eight States, two countries. But wait, there's also other places I lived for short periods of time (not counting vacations).

It's hard to come up with a exact number, some places were temporary assignments or military training schools. So, for my post today, I made a list.

These are the places I've lived for more than a month, the places in italics are places I had "temporary duty" while in the military, and I didn't count them as places I lived:
Berlin, Germany (Place of Birth)
El Paso, TX
Fulda, Germany
Wildflecken, Germany
South Bend, IN
Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX
Lowry AFB, Denver, CO
Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM
Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS
Langley AFB, Hampton, VA
Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, AK
Leakenheath RAF, Suffolk, England
Woodbridge, VA (Dale City) (multiple military assignments)
Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM (Yes, again, two different times)
Atlanta, GA
Birmingham, AL
Montgomery, AL

Side Note: Think again if you see me as some gung-ho military person. I was a Computer Programmer Software Engineer for most of my military career. In Basic Training, when we went to learn how to shoot guns, they took mine away and suggested I seek a career that didn't involve shooting. Suited me just fine. (It's Not True! But that's the lie I like to tell people).

So, where in the world have you been?

Friday Dog Wisdom

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.
-Ann Landers

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.
-M. Acklam

Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people,
who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
-Sigmund Freud

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
-Rita Rudner

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.
-Robert Benchley

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-Franklin P. Jones

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.
-James Thurber

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise
-Unknown

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can. That's almost $21.00 in dog money.
-Joe Weinstein

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come from a grocery with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!
-Anne Tyler

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog thinks I am.

Artificial Distraction

Saturday morning I did a five mile run which I had spent a year preparing. The last time I ran this race, one year ago, I did very poorly, and was disappointed that my conditioning was not working, so I changed my routine. The change paid off. I managed to run my fastest five mile race ever, a personal record, and now I have a new time to beat, I was happy for a couple of hours.

Then, slowly, the darkness crept in. It was an attack of sadness. Why does this shit happen, even when I'm having a good time, for no reason. Was it that my goal had been met? Was it all the artificial distraction going on all around me, loud music, happy laughing people? Was my system being overloaded?

I have said before, my running helps these mood swings, but it is the long slow runs, not the races, that produce the endorphin highs for me which last for days. This race, and others, seem have the opposite effect, after an initial elation, the onset of sadness. Is it because I've depleted vital nutrients in my system? Is it the effect of my body recovering from a stressful event?

One of the reasons I do races, is not for the competition, but rather to socialize and meet others like myself, and to keep myself focused on healthy activities. It was supposed to eliminate this overwhelming heavy weight of sadness that I've experienced my whole life, and it usually does, but now this black dog was visiting me during the times when I was focused on activities to avoid it. I love the racing activities, if I could just avoid the depression that sometimes occur afterward. Will I keep racing if this darkness keeps finding me there?

So Saturday, I slipped away from all the artificial man-made festivities going on around Alabama this weekend, went into the back country to a small Mom-n-Pop motel that I frequent, did some hiking and avoided all humans and their mindless way of finding things to do. I try to participate in their artificial distractions, but it bores me.

I know I'm not alone, but the sheep just keep following other sheep for no other reason other than someone else is doing it.

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Tuesday Peace Blogging

The Tuesday Topic on Blogs for Peace is right in-line with my last Tuesday Topic post two weeks ago.

"The United States Congress passed a bill last week limiting war funding and calling for substantial withdrawal by next March. President Bush is expected to veto. It is also expected that there are insufficient votes to override this veto, and this will lead to negotiations on a compromise bill.

Do you trust those who are against the war in the US Congress to stick to their policies and stand up for peace?

If not, do you find any wholly political solutions likely or viable for the short-term in ending the Iraq War?"

Our current executive misleader insisted on "Staying the Course" on the Iraq occupation, and has steered the situation into certain disaster. There is now way to win, we are not fighting a war, we are trying to bring security to a region of the world that has a violent past. No point on blaming the guilty, no crimes seem to stick to the leaders that misled us into this situation. We need a solution. The House and Senate has offered continued funding for the war with a clear exit strategy, the executive branch wants to reject this idea and punish the troops for his mismanagement. What do we do? It is a very complicated issue.

I do not see any peaceful solution for this situation. If we leave, there is sure to be an humanitarian crisis, but doing the same failed strategy means thousands of more deaths and much more violence. It is a bad situation. We need to let the fire burn out, which isn't likely to happen no matter what we do, or we need to bring in enough resources to extinguish the fire. As long as we keep letting our current executive misleaders use the Iraq occupation as a political toy, we will not have any success. They are not wise enough to see that their strategy is not working.

The Iraq situation has decreased security for Americans worldwide, and left the U.S. vulnerable because vital components of our defense system our being misused in a misguided, mismanaged occupation which is now a huge resource hog without any positive results. They are just waiting to blame their failures on the next administration.

The only workable solution is setting a timetable for withdrawal and letting the Arab states handle the situation, but that is basically the same problems that have created the civil and religious wars (sectarian violence).

Did you know? Iraqi Kurdistan is as an autonomous entity inside Iraq, with its own local government and parliament since 1992. Yes, even while Saddam was still dictator, he never had much control in Kurdistan since this time. Kurdistan is peaceful.