Monday, June 15, 2009
"It is easier to find a score of men wise enough to discover the truth than to
find one intrepid enough, in the face of opposition to stand up for it"
A. A. Hodge
Just back from the Oncologist, I am fine. For Christy it was good news & 'could
be worse' news. The bad news was that the cancer markers were radically elevated
at her last blood test, the good part is that he's sure he knows why. The cyst
like mass where Christy's ovaries used to be appears to be causing it and it is
operable. It will be done ASAP.
She is a little bummed because this would have been the first year with no
operations since 2005... but we are greatly relieved that it is apparently not
breast cancer metastasizing somewhere else.
We knew something was wrong because of the Cancer Markers going from 0 to 14 in
under 2 months. There are times in your life when you know that there is a
chance that taking the next step may permanently alter the direction of your
life. Walking into the Oncologist's office armed only with the knowledge that
'something is wrong' is one of those times... we got lucky this time.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
When even one American-who has done nothing wrong-is forced by fear to shut his
mind and close his mouth-then all Americans are in peril
Harry S.
Truman
Girls to Dentist, Calie still has to go back for to more...
Baby sitting for Calie's charge was interesting. The boy is a handful... ADHD
very smart, very precocious, a little goes a long way. She gets to sit for him 9
hours a day, 5 days a week, all summer, for 3 dollars an hour...
A friend asked about Obama having 'flies
on him'...
My response:
I am not aware of any, some very smart and dedicated people have been slinging
mud at him for 3 years, none has stuck... but he did get elected though, which,
according to an old strongly held precept of mine, deems the fact that if you
succeed in politics that is sufficient evidence to prove you owe someone, big
time. What got Obama elected was the people, millions of people sent him
money... I hope that means he owes us big time. He
may screw this up, but not because he is corrupt or incompetent, just not strong
enough to fight in the trenches... he needs bipartisan support, and he doesn't
have it. He is like Caesar nobody's got his back and the some who profess to...
carry knives.
I completely blew that one, he was referring to
Obama killing a fly
during an interview... silly me... PETA has published an official
reprimand...
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The door of a bigoted mind opens outwards so that the only result of the
pressure of facts upon it is to close it more snugly.
Ogden Nash, author (1902-1971)
Christy and I went to see Dr. April McKenna... she gave
Christy some steroid injections in her feet... they hurt.
We got the girls all set up with their checking accounts,
Calie because of her Graduation money and Monica because she needs an account so
that the Forestry Department can direct deposit her paychecks.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
If a man would register all his opinions upon love, politics, religion,
learning, etc., beginning from his youth and so go on to old age, what a bundle
of inconsistencies and contradictions would appear at last!
Jonathan Swift, satirist (1667-1745)
Just downloaded i-Phone os 3.0... took a while but it is worth the
wait...
Limbaugh said that Steven John's murder was the result of a
Liberal agenda, he said that since Hitler was a Socialist the Nazi movement was
a Liberal movement... what a jerk.
The hate mongers are getting apoplectic...
Friday, June 19, 2009
A time will come when a politician who has willfully made war
and promoted international dissension will be as sure of the dock and much surer
of the noose than a private homicide. It is not reasonable that those who gamble
with men's lives should not stake their own.
H.G. Wells
Autumn and I had breakfast at the Cabin Grill, really good
food... Autumn is fine company for breakfast, she is quiet and polite and allows
me to get my brain in gear.
Christy and Monica went to Colville for Monica's allergy
injection and a little shopping. Monica leaves tomorrow morning for a church
camp in Oregon, she is really hyped up about it. I hope her enjoyment meets her
expectations and visa-versa. Monica doesn't usually let herself get pumped up
like this...
Saturday, June 20, 2009
"For in every city these two opposite parties [people vs aristocracy] are to be
found, arising from the desire of the populace to avoid oppression of the great,
and the desire of the great to command and oppress the people....For when the
nobility see that they are unable to resist the people, they unite in exalting
one of their number and creating him prince, so as to be able to carry out their
own designs under the shadow of his authority."
(Machiavelli, The Prince, ch.
IX)
I did manage to get to the dump and not much else...
I
consider the way folks use (and abuse) my name to be a sort of early warning
system. When folks use taunts like that you are immediately aware of the
person's level of maturity, sophistication and sensitivity. Best just to smile
and back away... assholes have a way of multiplying so you don't want to turn
your back on them.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who
mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which
knowledge gives
James Madison
Fathers day is on The Summer Solstice, what is that all about? Why is Father's
Day the longest day of the year? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Expansive
or ominous? A blessing or foreboding? I've been doing this for 43 years... when
does it end?... or is that the point.
I did manage to have breakfast at the Cabin Grill and to see Tiger Woods
move up a few notches. Mike dropped Gracie for us to sit, Christian watched her
and did a very good job... Autumn is very protective or Grace but she is also
very authoritarian.
My niece had a baby boy today, about 10:10 Austin Josef Wida... 8 lbs 13 oz's...
Tisha (Bowman) Pietravalle is due to produce the closing act in a few days.
"War: a massacre of people who don't know each other for the profit of people
who know each other" Paul Valery quotes (French poet, essayist and critic,
1871-1945)
"For in every city these two opposite parties [people vs aristocracy] are to be
found, arising from the desire of the populace to avoid oppression of the great,
and the desire of the great to command and oppress the people....For when the
nobility see that they are unable to resist the people, they unite in exalting
one of their number and creating him prince, so as to be able to carry out their
own designs under the shadow of his authority." (Machiavelli, The Prince, ch.
IX)
"...most men have bound their eyes with one or another handkerchief, and
attached themselves to some one of these communities of opinion. This conformity
makes them not false in a few particulars, authors of a few lies, but false in
all particulars. Their every truth is not quite true. Their two is not the real
two, their four not the real four; so that every word they say chagrins us, and
we know not where to begin to set them right." Ralph Waldo Emerson - Self
Reliance - 1841 - From 'Essays", First series
A time will come when a politician who has willfully made war and promoted
international dissension will be as sure of the dock and much surer of the noose
than a private homicide. It is not reasonable that those who gamble with men's
lives should not stake their own: H.G. Wells
The soul of our country needs to be awakened . . .When leaders act contrary to
conscience, we must act contrary to leaders: Veterans Fast for Life
If we work in marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface
it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon
immortal minds and instill into them just principles, we are then engraving upon
tablets which no time will efface, but will brighten and brighten to all
eternity: Daniel Webster
"No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any
people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality
and virtue." -- George Mason. (1725-1792), drafted the Virgina
Declaration of Rights, ally of James Madison and George Washington
"Think truly, and thy thoughts Shall the world's famine feed. Speak truly, and
each word of thine Shall be a fruitful seed. Live truly, and thy life shall be A
great and noble creed": Horatius Bonar, D.D.
"It is easier to find a score of men wise enough to discover the truth than to
find one intrepid enough, in the face of opposition to stand up for it":
A. A. Hodge
"Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.":
Avram Noam Chomsky
I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended
upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real
facts: Abraham Lincoln
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their
own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives:
James Madison
When even one American-who has done nothing wrong-is forced by fear to shut his
mind and close his mouth-then all Americans are in peril: Harry S.
Truman
Time Waster
1. What is the first thing you wash in the shower? Hair
2. What color is your favorite hoodie? Navy
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Sure.
4. Do you plan outfits? Huh... people do that?
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Relieved
6. What's the closest thing to you that's red? Time
7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? It was surreal and
frightened me
8. Did you meet anybody new today? Yes Bette Watson, appointments clerk at the
Oncologist, she used to live here in town... nice lady.
9. What are you craving right now? Dove Ice cream Bar
10. Do you floss? Ummmmm.
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Irishmen
12. Are you emotional? Appropriately, and Not... sometimes, weird stuff gets to
me sometimes.
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000 ? No.
14. bite into your ice cream or just lick it? Bite it.
15. Do you like your hair? I do not have an opinion about my hair
16. Do you like yourself? Off and on
17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? Will I be frisked first?
18. What are you listening to right now? My computer doing an update
19. Are your parents strict? No.
20. Would you go sky diving? NO.
21. Do you like cottage cheese? nope
22. Have you ever met a celebrity? Does Bruce Bendinger count?
23. Do you rent movies often? Netflix
24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? Not that I can see
25. How many countries have you visited? 10
26. Have you made a prank phone call? Maybe
27. Ever been on a train? yes
28. Brown or white eggs? Yes
29. Do you have a cell-phone? Of course... i-Phone... love it
30. Do you use chap stick? no
31. Do you own a gun? Several... I live in Bear Country
32. Can you use chop sticks? Yes
33. Who are you going to be with tonight. Wife and Daughters.
34. Are you too forgiving? yes
35. Ever been in love? yes
36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow? Going to the Dr
37. Ever have cream puffs? yep
38. Last time you cried? Thursday...
39. What was the last question you asked? Where is Autumn
40. Favorite time of the year? Spring
41. Do you have any tattoos? no
42. Are you sarcastic? Frequently
43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? Yes
44. Ever walked into a wall? Yes
45. Favorite color? blue
46. Have you ever slapped someone? No
47. Is your hair curly? Wavy
48. What was the last CD you bought? Dixie Chicks
49. Do looks matter? yep
50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? Maybe, Liars and Thieves... not
51. Is your phone bill sky high? no.
52. Do you like your life right now? Might as well
53. Do you sleep with the TV on? nope
54. Can you handle the truth? Yes
55. Do you have good vision? On a scale of Bad, Good and Perfect... Yes
56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? Oh yes...
57. How often do you talk on the phone? infrequently.
58. The last person you held hands with? Autumn
59. What are you wearing? NOYB
60. What is your favorite animal? Elk
61. Where was your default picture taken? Outside the Colville Hospital Birthing
Room
62. Can you hula hoop? Use'ta could, Probably not now,
63. Do you have a job? no
64. What was the most recent thing you bought? Donut and Coffee
65. Have you ever crawled through a window? yep
1. What color is your toothbrush? Yellow & Blue
2. Name one person who made you smile today? Anna
3. What were you doing at 8 am today? Driving
4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Writing
5. What is your favorite candy bar? York's
6. Have you ever been to a strip club?(Bruce's answer, but it works for me
too...I'm 66. Been in the Navy. Traveled the world. What do you think?
7. What is the last thing you said aloud? Good Night Chris
8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate Fudge Brownie with
Chocolate sauce
9. What was the last thing you had to drink? Orange Sobe
10. Do you like your wallet? Like? I nave no emotional attachment to my wallet
at all... that would be creepy.
11. What was the last thing you ate? Falafel
12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? No.
13. What was the last sporting event you watched? Live, I watched Monica play
three games in Kettle Falls, on TV, Hangtown Motocross Race
14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? White Cheddar.
15. Who is the last person you sent a text message too? Amanda
16. Ever go camping? Yes... not for a while though
17. Do you take vitamins daily? No.
18. Do you go to church every Sunday? no, only for weddings and funerals.
19. Do you have a tan? Not really
20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? Depends on the restaurant,
21. Do you drink your soda with a straw? Occasionally
22. What did your last text message say? R U in the air
23. What are you doing tomorrow? Calie's Car to the Car Dr, Calie and Monica to
the Dentist, Autumn to Mc Donald's, Babysit Luke, wait impatiently for Christy
to call after talking to her Dr.
25. Look to your left, what do you see? Mess of stuff that needs to be put away
26. What color is your watch? Black
27. What do you think of when you hear Australia? Licorice
29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? I prefer to go
in but I am usually overruled
30. What is your favorite number? 1
31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? Christy
34. Biggest annoyance right now? Sciatica
35. Last song listened to? From a distance, Bette Midler
36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? Sure eventually
37. Do you have a maid service clean your house? No
38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? no
39. Are you jealous of anyone? Yes.
40. Is anyone jealous of you? I don't know
41. Do you love anyone? Yes, lots!
42. Do any of your friends have children? Most of them.
43. What do you usually do during the day? Cope
44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Occasionally
45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes.
46. What color is your car? I don't own a car, my truck is brown, Trailblazer is Silver-ish,
Bike is red.
47. Do you like cats? No
48. Are you thinking about someone right now? My wife
49. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes.
50. How did you get your worst scar? Tripple bypass in '94