Ramblings, Rants, Raves and Musings

Are you doing what you want in life?  Are you happy with your current situation?  Happiness is a state of mind that each of us should cultivate.  It's the walking of a path that we have chosen based on our perceptions, our beliefs and our needs.  Not society, family or friends.  The path that speaks to you as an individual. 

    For some it's the conventional path, dating, engagement, marriage, children, church, work.  For others its living outside the lines.  Thinking outside the box.  Living outside the box.  Sometimes way outside the box.   I've met some who take the box into the woods, set it on fire and dance naked around it with a bottle of bourbon in one hand and a bag of refer in the other.   Figuratively speaking.  They are interesting people to know but they have a tendency to burn out early in many cases.

    Some are happy working 70 hours a week.  Some have to work 80 hours.    I'm happy working 30.  (I've been called just about everything in the book except workaholic.)  Money to me has always been a means to support my addictions  (I've become addicted to food, shelter and clothing) but not something that makes me any more or less who I am.   It has never been the sole focus of my life.  We each get 24 hours in a day and end up 6 feet under.  I've been broke more times than I care to remember but I've never been poor.  Poor is a state of mind, an absence of hope and happiness.  Don't go there.  If you find yourself in a situation that's making you poor in spirit even if it is putting a lot of money in your pocket.  Git !!!  It's not worth it.

   Don't try and be something you aren't .  If you aren't cut out for child raising, don't father/bear children.  You only get one life.

I'm an Infidel to all the worlds religions. I believe in God. I don't believe in organized religion. Christianity tried to save me, it failed, I'm happy.  I was a born again Christian @ 17.  I went down to the alter at church and gave my life to Jesus, handed out religious tracts on corners, attended services at New Tribes Mission and handed out tracts in the Seminole County jail twice.   Then I started thinking about the world and the alleged Holy Scripture and that was the end of that.  By the time I went to a local community college I had an underage girlfriend and a patch of herb in the swamp. 

I have never belonged to a political party.  I am sometimes amazed that the clash of the two wings of our oligarchy, each of which would create its own unique disaster if left to its own devices, produces the level of prosperity and freedom that it does.  However, there is still a long way for freedom to go in this country.  And the greatest danger to our freedom comes not from foreign shores, it comes from within the Beltway.  They are the only ones who possess the political, police and military power to truly destroy freedom in America. 

    If I had to put my political beliefs in a word I would probably choose libertarian (One who advocates maximizing individual rights and minimizing the role of the state) (with a small l) though I am not a member of the Libertarian party with whom I have some disagreements. 

    I believe in a woman's right to abortion, I oppose late term abortions.  I think it appalling that we have so many abortions in the US.  Something is not being done education-wise with our young that should be.  They don't have the large numbers of abortions in Europe that we do here.  They educate.  They do not seek unrealistic solutions like abstinence only.  I wonder how many unplanned pregnancies can be laid at the feet of organized religion?  -----  Those who, from gilded palaces on a planet that can't feed itself, fight against birth control are simply stupid and immoral.    

I believe whatever two or more consenting adults do is fine as long as I ain't gotta watch.  I tend to be conservative sexually (no more than one sex partner at a time) and I have options I have chosen not to exercise.  I am totally opposed to government interference in our sex lives.  I think that the type of people who think government should be able to regulate sexual behavior between consenting adults are the same type of Neanderthal that used to believe in the divine right of kings or that now believe George Bush and Dick Cheny knew what they were getting into when they invaded Iraq. 

Pet Peeves 

People who think it's women who are being exploited in a topless bar.  Bet you didn't know the women pay to work there.  Every shift they pay the house to pluck the guys.  I drove a cab a couple of times in Central Florida and took some dancers home.  Some can make a grand a week if they work hard.  And it's all cash.  No taxes unless they want to pay.        

    Ran into a brick wall on The Wind in the Trees @ Chapter 8 and have never been able to get any more done.  The Money Tree was written while I was interested in the stock market.  If you're into writing at all read a few pages of Wind and let me know what you think.

On The Empire

    We live in an Empire, Pax Americana and enjoy the fruits thereof.    Like all empires we have stuck our military noses into a number of different affairs, some justified, some not.  US Interventions  But all is not well at the center.   Situation Report USA  If we continue to expend our youth and our wealth on useless foreign ventures such as the war in Iraq we will allow many situations at home that need the attention of our wealth to deteriorate even further.  Someday we will pay a price for that. 

    I've got an AA degree and some college at Florida State University and a worthless Paralegal Certificate. I've traveled in Europe and the Middle East and lived in London, England for 9 months while attending school and lived in Belize City, Belize for 3 ½ months where I worked on a government well drilling crew until the found out they were employing an American.

    In the US I've lived in San Antonio, TX., Huntsville, AL., Central and South Florida. I lived in Broward County for 14 years except for 7 months in Boca and am now back in Central Florida. In the last five years I've worked as an Account Rep. and in an Administrative support position.

    Musically I like the old stuff, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Simon & Garfunkel, The Band, Bruce Springsteen.  I listen to some country, Wilie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and a few others and some classical/other such as Quiet Moods and The Mozart Effect, some guitar instrumentals and The Gypsy Kings Greatest Hits.  

  Quit cigarettes about 15 years ago.  Quit drinking in 04.  Right now I'm on a diet from just about everything trying to shave off some weight.  Down to around 165 from a high of 174. The target is 150 but I have a thing for Cookies and Cream Ice Cream and  Peanut Butter M & M's.. Every journey deserves a good stumble or two.  Or maybe even more.

Favorite book: "The Devil's Dictionary" by Ambrose Bierce  Favorite quotes

  On the Palestinian/Israeli conflict: I watch with awe as three religions pour out their love on a problem. 

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