Just What I Needed To Hear

I was truly moved today by the Prophet's message. I stayed up WAY TOO LATE last night flipping through the many channels of nonsense. I stopped on CMT (that's country music TV I think) and heard a couple of songs that were so profound and moving. I don't care for country music, but a song called "Waiting on a Woman" by Brad Paisley and one by Kenney Chesney called "Don't Blink" about enjoying life and living for today brought tears to my eyes. I think someone is trying to tell me something.

I am happy that we moved here to Florida. The only real complaint I would have is that it is so far away from our family and loved ones, but other than that, I am content. But, I have been so busy in the unpacking, the setting up of the house, getting the kids going in school, finding time to work out, etc. that I keep forgetting to sit back, relax, and enjoy my family. Lately, within 15 minutes of picking the older kids up from school I am so stressed out and tired of them I find myself wishing school was held until 8:00pm, just to get away from them. I know they are stressed and trying to fit in in their new home/school/church circle and they take their stress out on each other and their parents. I love them. I love the age they are currently in, even if I don't enjoy the accompanying problems. After hearing the Prophet today and those songs last night I know I need to enjoy each day I am blessed with. I need to relax. I need to not sweat the little stuff and let my family know how much I love them.

Don't Blink lyrics

I turned on the evening news
Saw an old man being interviewed
Turning a hundred and two today
Asked him what's the secret to life
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said "All I can say is."

Don't blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink

I was glued to my tv and it looked like he looked at me and said
"Best start putting first things first."
Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand
You can't flip over and start again
Take every breathe God gives you for what it's worth

Don't Blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink

I've been tryin slow it down
I've been tryin take it in
In this here today gone tomorrow world we're livin' in

Don't blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
Don't blink

Naw, don't blink

"We're in a civil war. It's just a civil war without bullets."

I've just recovered from my 2 hours at the gym, had a nice hot soak in my big, comfy jetted tub....ahhhh....and feel ready to pontificate my knowledge and reactions about last night's debate and the economic mess we are in. Are you ready? I know you've been waiting on pins and needles...

For the past few days I've been looking over the political map of America. For the past what, 12 years now, we are a country divided. The heartland bleeds red and the far west and northeast coasts are always blue. I've known this since Clinton was first elected. I've watched it become even more divisive and pronounced during George W's campaigns. We are a country divided. I heard Kelsey Grammer on the Glenn Beck show today. He said it well when he said, (paraphrasing) "we are in a civil war. Not a war with bullets. But still, a civil war." Sadly, in these past 12 years the only thing that has brought us together is Osama Bin Laden, and even now, there are those who want to make what happened on 9/11 into a conspiracy planned and delivered by our own government. As I have looked over the map and recall my last year of living in LALA land I have had many thoughts of hoping/wanting the northeast and west coasts to secede the Union. Yes, I have entertained many thoughts of wanting them gone. Let them leave and form their own government, infrastructure, social or communist states and leave the rest of us the heck alone. There are so many people compressed into these areas (I think I heard an estimate of 10 million living in LA county while I was there) that they lose a sense of belonging to a community, a sense of what can I do to help rather than what can the government do for me? I saw too many examples of "me first, screw the other guy" while I was in LA to list. And if I can't do it for myself, well then by God the government better do it for me. These huge metropolises are so expensive to live in that it is hard to survive. So, live beyond my means, hey, it's okay, I can file bankruptcy. And now, if what Joe Biden said during his debate last night is true, a judge can pardon my inability to pay my mortgage, lower my interest rate, and even change the principle amount I owe on said mortgage, just so I don't lose my house. Never mind that I should never have been given a loan for such a large amount, or I was betting on being able to pay interest only, or maybe I just bought more home than I needed or could really afford. Doesn't matter, the government will fix it all for me. Thank you Joe. I will certainly keep this in mind if I decide I need a bigger more expensive house, or even if I decide I should spend my money on luxury items and not pay my mortgage. Why should I worry if I can just have a judge make my problem go away?

Which brings me to my next point. Who ends up paying the difference? The government? Oh, yes, they will do it with the 50% which I already pay on my income in taxes and if Biden is again correct, I'm sure it will go up to around 65%. Please, take my wealth and make a society of "fairness" as you proposed. Like you said, it's not a redistribution of wealth, it's just "fair." Say it ain't so Joe....I really need to know who that is fair to. Who in their right mind would want to continue to work hard to make more and provide for their family just to have the government take it away for the fairness of everyone? I haven't done the figures yet, but I can't help but wonder if I wouldn't actually keep more in my own pocket if I made just under the $250K amount you've stated instead of growing my business and having you take more and more in taxes. So, maybe I should reduce my work force and lay off some people, provide less services to the community I serve, and try to reduce my gross income. Oh, but wait. If I am to believe you the majority of small business owners already don't make over $250K a year so it won't affect them, so why am I even worried?

Joe represents the blue states very well. He is a true blue blooded Washington insider who knows how to talk the talk but not walk the walk. He can mesmerize the smartest of the dumb with his facts and figures, never mind that 1/2 of them are bold faced lies. He sounds knowledgeable and that, after all, is what the left is all about: perceived intelligence, elitism, and knowing how to make a pile of Ship High In Transit (look at the acronym) look like a filet mignon.

Palin on the other hand is a down to earth, my type of gal. She is genuine. She is likable. She may not know the ins and outs of Washington, but she knows dishonesty and greed. She is willing to take it on and conquer it for the little guy. She is a woman of principles. She is the heartland of America and that is why we love her. She wants to unite us, to make "I'm proud to be an American" mean something. And beyond being a patriot, she promises to change the way government is run. She promises to put it back in it's place of protecting freedoms, rights, liberties, and the pursuit of happiness. Not adding to the ever expanding monster that wants to control every aspect of your life. Not send it on its way to becoming a socialist state. A promise to make it smaller and allow you to get on with your life without it being in the way. Thank you Sarah Palin. Now, Joe, let's talk.

Your ability to talk out of both sides of your mouth is profound. You are like a snake charmer who bobs and weaves while hypnotizing his prey. Then, when they are so coo-coo for cocoa puffs that they don't know what to believe, you strike and immobilize them. You conquer and reign supreme over the snake who will a few years down the road wake up from the hypnosis and realize it's been screwed. Then watch out Barrack and Biden, because that viper is venomous and will find a way to strike back. I only hope and pray that it happens on Nov. 4th when McCain/Palin win the election, and not in 4 years in an effort to rid us of the ilk your administration imposed on us all.

(A P.S. for my California friends. Not everything about LA was bad and there were many good people there too, you know who you are. I Miss You All)

Big Holes and no, not A-Holes although I can think of a few of those too

These holes are not only amazing, but some of them are really terrifying. The sheer scale of these holes reminds you of just how tiny you are.

1. Kimberley Big Hole - South Africa

Apparently the largest ever hand-dug e

xcavation in the world,
this 1097 meter deep mine yielded over 3 tons of diamonds
before being closed in 1914.

2. Glory Hole - Monticello Dam, California

A glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and
water needs to be drained from the reservoir

This is the 'Glory Hole' at Monticello dam,
and it's the largest in the world of this type
of spillway, its size enabling it to consume
14,400 cubic feet of water every second.

3. Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

This is supposedly the largest man-made
excavation on earth. Extraction began in 1863
and still continues today, the pit increasing in
size constantly. In its current state the hole
is miles deep and 2.5 miles wide.

4. Great Blue Hole , Belize

This incredible geographical phenomenon known as a
blue hole is situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize
There are numerous blue holes around the world,
but none as stunning as this one.

5. Mirny Diamond Mine , Serbia

I'm pretty sure most people have seen this one.
It's an absolute beast and holds the title of largest
open diamond mines in the world. At 525 meters
deep, with a top diameter of 1200 meters, there's
even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few
helicopters having been sucked in.

6. Diavik Mine, Canada

The mine is so huge and the area so remote
that it has its own airport with a runway large
enough to accommodate a Boeing 737.
It looks equally cool when the surrounding
water is frozen.

7. Sinkhole in Guatemala

These photos are of a sinkhole that occurred
early this year in Guatemala The hole swallowed
a dozen homes and killed at least 3 people.

And the really terrifying one?

8. Rat Hole

This is the famous 'Rat Hole' that you have heard about.
It is capable of swallowing trillions and trillions of U.S
dollars... Annually! Never to be heard from again.
It makes me tremble & shiver!

This is the CRAZINESS I was talking about

Yep, them Floridians sure are dumb a** crazy. Yet another example of a headline that makes me cringe because it happened here...

Man shoots own arm after being denied sex

The Associated Press

7:25 AM EDT, October 2, 2008

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Authorities say a Fort Myers man shot himself in the arm after his girlfriend refused to have sex with him.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office reports that 29-year-old Jonathon Guabello and his girlfriend returned home from a bar early Wednesday morning. The girlfriend told deputies that Guabello had wanted to get intimate, but she wanted to go to sleep.

When Guabello became irate, authorities say the girlfriend went to a spare bedroom, and several minutes later she heard two gunshots. She told deputies Guabello came into her room and threatened her. He then stumbled into the kitchen and knocked himself unconscious.

Guabello was charged with threatening violence and firing a weapon in an occupied dwelling. He was being held on $100,000 bail.

Well, it could've been worse. At least he shot himself and not the girlfriend. He didn't get Lorraina Bobbited, although maybe, just maybe he should have a frontal lobotomy. Then he would at least have an excuse for his stupidity.

Bring It On

Gov. Sarah Palin

--vs.--

Sen. Joseph Biden

The Field House
Washington University
St. Louis, MO

9:00 p.m. Eastern
TONIGHT!

Stellar Examples of Parenting.....NOT!!

Both of these stories come out of California. Admittedly, when I read these types of stories I cringe because they are usually from Florida. Why is it we have lived in both crazy places?

First, check out this video. It is unbelievable. A young 16 year old girl and a grown man get into an argument at McDonalds about who was first in line. The adult proceeds to violently punch the girl in the face many times. After beating her down to the floor he takes the hands of his TWO SMALL CHILDREN and exits the restaurant. What the hell is wrong with him?

http://www.knbc.com/news/17597527/detail.html

What a great example he just set for his children. How lucky they are to have such a man in their lives. Next....

A California woman accused of driving her teenage son and his friends to confront a rival gang insists she didn't plan for a 13-year-old boy to die in the fight.

Eva Daley is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Jose "Bobby" Cano near a Long Beach skate park in June 2007. One of the teens she drove is being tried with her and is accused of killing the victim. Really? Really? What did you think was going to happen at this confrontation. Mutual negotiations? Just talking? Her own son was stabbed by the victim a few months earlier. She claimed to not know about that. What a great mom she is to drive her child to a violent confrontation and gang war. She must be so proud of her son and his smack down.

Ja Ja Ja Jaded

The more I research and come to an understanding of this problem, the more I can't help but wonder why ALL Americans aren't up in arms, pounding on doors, tying up the phone lines, and in any way available demanding from our elected officials an honest answer to the mess they created. From the housing/mortgage debacle, to banks going under because of it, to our borders not being secured, to these idiots in elected positions demanding rights for illegals...it goes on and on and it is all entwined in an incredibly deceptive web of lies, back room deals, and crooked men/women getting rich off the back of the taxpayers. While we are awash in the financial storm which is sublimly worsened by the drive by media, I can't help but wonder when China will decide to cash in the US Treasury Bonds they have bought up in the millions, when the terrorists will decide to strike again because we are so immersed in this mess we are taking our eyes off the target, or when Russia will make it's next move towards retaking it's former glory and land holdings thus moving one step closer towards it's hidden goal of smashing the West.

Okay, maybe I sound paranoid, but mark my words, something big along these lines will happen. While our leaders are scratching their heads and backsides trying to figure out how best to socialize our country, our enemies are biding their time, planning their next move, and patiently waiting for a perfect check mate. Maybe, just maybe, they (vague I know but use your imagination here) even helped to create this financial mess knowing it would be to their advantage. Our congretional leaders need to let the economy be. It will correct itself. That is the brilliance of a capitalist society. We may suffer a bit in the interrim, but it will survive, we will survive, and we must send Washington a strong message that we don't want to bail out criminals, we want them sent to jail. Anyone remember Enron here?

Get the investigations going. Find out who did what illegally, make sure they pay, let their companies go under, new ones will come along to replace them. Put people in jail, pray we can have an honest man (or woman) or two voted into office who will correct this wrong without socializing our economy and asking us to foot the bill yet again. Close down our borders, get strict on repatriating the illegals already here, clean up the mess, and don't gripe to me about civil rights for non-citizens. Credit isn't a civil right, marriage isn't a civial right. The government CANNOT guarantee prosperity. All is can and should do is guarantee you the individual right to seek out that prosperity. To make it happen for yourself, for your family, through hard work and effort.

Here's some more light reading about our financial mess:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/24/illegal-immigration-and-the-mortgage-mess/