Sunday, November 25, 2012

Islanded in a sea of stars.

It’s been two years, and the holidays are still hard.  While cleaning today, I came across the card from the flowers my coworkers sent when Donna died.  I busted out crying.  It doesn’t make sense, we still live with memories of Donna all around me every day,  but this set me off.
A friend of the girls seems to be in a bad relationship.  It frustrates me.  You can have an abusive SOB who gets the girl, but I’m alone.
And it’s lonely at times.  Rocky just doesn’t cut it, and even though I’m surrounded by friends and family, I still feel alone.  It is hard to be with family even, Amber and Lisa have each other, Jama has Mike, Tim has Jen, etc.  So I feel the odd ogre out.
How do you cope?  We take things day by day, but some days are harder than others.  This is one of those days.
Lonliness sucks.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012


“My country, right or wrong.”  While most people are ignorant to the phrases’ true origin, It does have a specific meaning to me.  And with the disappointment of last night, I felt it time to revisit that meaning.

“My country” This is my country.  Period.  I was born here, and likely will die here.  Likewise Ohio is my state.  Again, born here and, barring needs beyond my control, I’ve no plans to leave.  Texas may be more my beliefs, but it’s too hot.  As Phil Sheridan once said, “If I owned Texas and Hell, I’d live in Hell and rent out Texas.”

“Right” We are not perfect, but we’re a hell of a lot better than countries out there.  Even in a recession we sent thousands of people and millions (if not billions) of dollars to help the people of Haiti.  While our cousins across the pond ended slavery before we did, both the UK and the US actively worked to end the institution around the world.  If not for us, the Marsh Arabs would have been completely wiped out, and the land would not be recovering.  These are just minor examples.  It doesn’t include the advances in technology, medicine, science and every other field advanced in America.  Am I proud of my country, my countrymen? Hells yes.

“or Wrong.” We are not perfect.  From the betrayal of the Cherokee to the infamous Tuskegee experiment, from Executive Order 9066 to our failure to support the 2011 Iranian protests, we’ve made mistakes, sometimes with horrible consequences.

The point is, America is my country.  I will cheer when we do something right, (depose Saddam Hussein, Kill OBL, help Haiti rebuild) and condemn them when we do something wrong, (Support the Muslim Brotherhood, abandon our pledges to our allies, turn a blind eye to our enemies, reelect Obama, etc.) I will be vocal, I will be blunt, and I will not be silent.  Not now, not ever.  We do have the greatest government system in the world (when it is followed) and when it maximizes freedom.

“Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — "No, you move."

So, those of you who disagree.  "You move."