Life Continues

Life continues as summer approaches. I ate at a Red Robin restaurant yesterday and enjoyed it. The A-1 peppercorn hamburger was a monster and I was stuffed. Can’t do to many days like that or I won’t fit through the front door. After I ate and experienced the stuff tummy syndrome, I sat outside in the warm sunshine and plotted new ways to drive my role-play partner crazy with new story-lines. Do I feel bad – hmmmm – nope!

You really have to wonder where society is heading too. Take the 5 year old in Florida. When the school administrator decided she couldn’t handle the child, she called the parent who basically said she didn’t have time to come and deal with the child. The school security took a hands-off stance so the Police were called and now they are being harassed for how they handled it. Now Tennessee is doing their anti-bullying law for school children. Next we will see an “I don’t like my Teacher” law. The Judge will decide in open court if there is a problem between the Teacher and the kid. If the parents won’t discipline their children for fear of repercussions, School Administrators live in fear of lawsuits if they discipline a child and now the police are being sued for doing their job. Who will disciple this generation? Will we wind up with a bunch of wild, do-as-they-please, and no consequences for their actions children? Will a whole new group of laws be establish so that if you cause trouble at school you wind up in court while the lawyers argue the merits of the case. Will Lawyers become the disciplinarians of society as they decide what is a court issue and what is not worth their time and money? We have come a long way from where parents, school officials, and authoritarian figures could discipline a child within preset guidelines. It almost reaches the level that children decide if their actions warrant discipline and how it will be administered.

The Michael Jackson case still is a media circus where the Pedophile’s criminal action isn’t being questioned but the integrity and motives of the accusers. Lost in this three ring circus is the question – did he do it? So far the answer appears he did but because they make the accusers look less than upright he will walk free to do it again. Like several authorities said on talk radio -- pedophiles never change or rehabilitate, all they do is wait for a new victim whether it is 1 day or 10 years from now. I am saddened that the children are the ones being exploited as we focus of the Pedophile to insure his rights are in no way violated.

I love it. Ten buffalo roaming in Maryland. Now they say they must figure out where they came from. Well, duh, they have yellow tags in their ears, so someone owns them and takes care of them. If that is too hard, then shoot them, skin them and give the meat and furs to the homeless.

Contemplations

I wonder at times if we have brought on our current woes because we as adults have failed to be the adult we should have been. When children start killing other children perhaps we adults have failed to show them the value of life. When preschoolers go on a rampage tearing things up only to be restrained by police – where have we sunk too? I am sorry the 5-year old had to be restrained, but weren’t they destroying property and acting in an out-of-control manner? It use to be neighbors would talk out differences but now you get a visit by the police investigating a complaint that some paper had blown into their yard. People calling the police not because the dog crapped in their yard but because the owner of the dog picked the pile up in a bag and deposited it in their trash can. I would personally like to thank the dog owners for being so nice and civic-minded.

What is wrong with us people? It is going to get worse as the population grows and we get ever more crowded. We need to start learning to be reasonable and communicating with others not by bullets and lawsuits but by talking and equitably resolving these little issues between us. I am amazed how quickly we have changed from just when I was a child. At this rate, I fear I will die a lonely man in a house that resembles a maximum-security vault to keep others from robbing and killing a defenseless old man.

Home intrusion is another example. Use to be you could leave your doors unlocked and windows open when you stepped out from the house. But now it has escalated to the point they will come during the day whether you are home or not. Perhaps NRA is right, we need to be prepared to defend our selves. I don’t like the thought of shooting someone, but I must protect my home and family. So it is time to go and by my semi-automatic gun with 10,000 rounds. This way, I have held them off until they get tired or the police show up.

My Role Playing Friends:

The masked figure sat in the edge of the forest watching the big man sharpen his axe. “So this is my target,” he thought. “One clean arrow would do this job quickly. But he didn’t have the OK to do it yet. There was something about all the pieces must be in place first.” Shifting slightly he continued to watch the man work. “So he came from an important family and was known for his skill as a fighter and leader. Right now he was just a large target no more smarter than a bale of hay before you launched an arrow into it.” The masked man moved back deeper into the woods as he prepared to make camp a few miles away. “I sure hope they give the word soon! I hear there is a band of gypsy’s passing by and that would liven any evening and bed up.”

Where have all the good role-players gone? Have they migrated to another world and started over or have they just given up? Perhaps, I should just put on my walk-about shoes and hunt them down. I sometimes feel like a large goatskin bag just swelling at the sides. Ready to role-play but can’t. From what I have seen, in most channels it is mostly role chatting. In some cases there was a bit of playing, but it seemed so shallow. No one was putting himself or herself into it in order to make their character come alive and seem as real as them. Oh well, perhaps that is why I dream .. I dream of a fantasy world that can’t exist.

Time to go to my favorite eating place --- El Agave.

Wednesday Thoughts

It is raining today so I thought I would take a few moments to jot a few things down.

Work – Should ease up a bit since that pain in the butt project is being handed over to a new engineer they just hired. Now I can go back to a 12-hour day. It is funny how as soon as that project was moved, everyone else started yapping for his or her stuff to be done first. Well, “as are the sands in an hour glass, so are the days of our lives.”

Just saw last night where a house a block away from me closed at $425,000 and it is smaller than mine. Almost like playing poker, how long do you play the hand before you fold and take your winnings?

Starting to figure out when I can make another Florida run. My mom wants a new computer and wants me to build it and set it up. So another weekend needs to be booked as soon as I can figure out when. Just bought plane tickets from Washington DC to Indianapolis for $39 one-way. With gas prices where they are, you can’t beat that.

My Role-play friends:

A young girl walked through the field as her dog chased every bug in sight. The rustle of her skirts blended in with the wind and trees. The escorts were well back from her as they allowed her the freedom to play, as she wanted too but the eye of her governess twitched like an eagle. However, someone else was there watching from a hidden spot in the marshy area to the south. The man’s eyes squinted through the light cloth over his head. His body ached from the chill of the muddy water that covered him, as he lay low in the marsh grass. His plan was to quietly draw the dog to him and so the child would follow. Once in range, a few well-placed crossbow bolts would eliminate the guards and governess thus leaving the child alone. “When,” became the question? How long will he have to wait for the sign to grab the child? These hours laying here watching and planning things out allowed him to dwell on many things. “Why this child?” “What was her importance?” “Whom was she the bait for?” “Could I get more gold if I did this myself?” Finally the man gave up and returned his thoughts to watching the child and her dog.

“Mistress,” the guard called out. “It is time to return home, your uncle wants you back before dark.” The child nodded and took her own sweet time making her way to the awaiting horses and guards.

The value of a life crossed my mind last night as a close friend of mine lost his brother in law. It seems the man got drunk, took his brothers van without permission and proceeded to lose control on a curve and kill himself while destroying the van. Luckily, no one else was involved. But he is gone. Someone who never really did anything in his 35 years but get drunk, borrow money and waste it on frivolous things. He was as close to penniless as I have ever known anyone. The family, poor themselves, is desperately trying to figure out how to bury him. No insurance, no money in the bank and it costs $1400 to bury him and they can’t even afford $100 each to do that. What potential was locked away in him that was never allowed to escape for whatever reason? What could we have done to change his destiny or could we? A twinge of sadness for what could have been but wasn’t.

Habemus Papem!

Congrats to the new Pope and may success follow your every step of the way. Barely 8 hours and the media are already trying to second-guess everything the man does. One supposed scholar from Catholic University is already thinking of a doomsday scenario between the Vatican and the American Church. He has barely had his first dinner as Pope, give him a chance to settle in or is your agenda so weak that pressure is the only tact you have?

Looks like Tom Delay is trying the old “offense is the best defense” tactic. Attack everyone, dirty the air with innuendos and accusations and maybe something will stick that will get his own butt out of the fire or at least out of the spotlight. Without Schiavo, Jackson, a Tsunami and John Paul to deflect the attention, he is finding that it is tough in that spotlight once again.

Work was fine today, quiet and without much happening. I even managed to get a few things done in preparation for a large project that starts next week. I will be doing a software upgrade of the newsroom software. My end is relatively easy but the news people must learn a whole new system and that should prove fun. For some fun I started a list today of all the tasks that need to be done by the end of June and quit after it reached 45 items. Too depressing.

For my role-play friends:<>

After the door shut and a regular patron staggered in, the first man realizing no danger was near leaned in, his breath reeking of rum. “Do you know where he is, the boy, I mean? The other man a bit taken back at his friends odor, took a deep breath and replied, “yes and my man never loses sight of him!” “Wow, and they said he was hidden and well protected. A spy, your man, I mean?” “Shush man, lest we be overheard, but yes, the best kind of spy!” With that said the second man leans back more to get some fresh air than to disengage his curious friend.

I sometimes wonder where the role-play is going. It seems that now days it is shallow and based more on real life emotions rather than your dreams. Is role-play going away as did the Citizens Band (CB) Radio? A short burst on the horizon of IRC and then into oblivion? It appears that virtual games have replaced the mind as the spawning ground of ideas and adventure. I remember a time when my Calvary was a double line of dominos and their rank was by their dots. Buildings were blocks of 2x4s from the local construction site. Gold was the slugs the electricians left after wiring out the new house. Computers and IRC gave us the chance to enlarge our sand pile across the globe. Our mind’s limit was only bounded by our ability to expand it. But, alas now, we have all became gods and drama queens and those simple pleasures of an afternoon questing to save a small village or some hapless human being have faded. Are we relegated to watching TV reruns of medieval stories? Is there a way that a few dedicated and hungry for action Rpers to get together, throw aside their egos and re-enter the world of fantasy and relive the dreams of Knights, Lady’s and Chivalry? I lay aside my weapons and dream of the call to action.

Well, work intrudes on my reflections as the clock draws closer to the time the alarm goes off, 3:30 am.

April Showers

<>Not much has changed this week, here in the land of lovers.

Every day I think of an easier time. One that has no time and no routines. The only requirement is that I have fun without having to work at it. And boy does it become easier to dream of it, tick – tick – tick.

The youth league team I am on clinched the championship with one week to go. Michaela was a jewel as she raised her average from 92 to 131. I love it when they are at the age to listen and have a desire to learn. I was really proud when she threw a 199 two weeks ago. Tapped by a 10 pin to hold her back from her first 200 game. I also smile because I only managed 204 that game and almost got buried by her.

Work is the same. Long! It seems about the time I am ready to leave at 9:30 am, the phone goes crazy and everyone wants something or wants a meeting if I have a few minutes. Needless to say, I stumble around till 1:00 pm and then leave. The fuse gets shorter everyday. If my computer business continues to grow, I might just take a dive and see how the water is. Meanwhile, I sit waiting like a cobra .. Ready to strike.<>

To my role-play friends:

Two men, hidden in the shadows of the small pub, speak softly lest they be overheard. “He has returned, don’t ask me how but you must once and for all put an end to his life!” The man nearest the door exclaimed in a gruff voice. The other man nodded, “Then I shall and his son will be the bait only neither will walk away this time.” They both looked around, hands lightly on their sword hilts.

<>* * * *

I continue to be amazed at this rash of child abusers that seem to garner such sympathy. "They might get rehabilitated." "They have rights and deserve a chance." Arghhh, and what about that child that is being buried - no one gave a flip about them and what their young life meant. I vote that every convicted child abuser be sent to Alcatraz or some desolate island to spend the rest of their natural life. NO death - but NO parole. Some things can be changed or helped to change. But some predators can't - "you can't remove a tigers stripes, no matter how much you rub and wish." If the ACLU doesn't like this - you are free to join them on their island. Oh! Take Michael Jackson with you, he likes to share his bed. <>

Well, the Pope lottery is on. Place your vote on which it will be. The media is so starved for news after Shiavo; they now want to do polls on the next Pope. If they want to be so much an "investigative reporter" pick a meaningful topic such as:

• How much is the Major Oil Companies gouging us and whom are they paying to let that happen?
• Why can the Insurance companies in Florida rip of their clients and no one say a hoot about it?
• Is there even one (1) honest and virtuous Congressman?
• What is happening in the Tsunami ravaged areas? You collected our money and now I don't even see how it is getting spent and the good it is doing.

<>But you see that requires work and a long effort to get at the bottom of things. It is more fun to chase the figurative ambulance than to follow the dozer into the mud.

To all those brave police officers and fireman, thanks for what you do every day.

A Little Update

Well, I shall try and post this again. I had it all written out and then the computer had a brain fart and shutdown losing everything I had done. Perhaps this time it will go well.

The tournament went well and though I didn’t get rich or win it, I at least broke even with the side pots. Plus I didn’t come in last in our group of 10 bowlers. So time to look forward to next year and Corpus Christie. That should be another fun one to turn into a mini-vacation. Virginia State Tournament comes up later in May, so maybe I can do some good there. Ever Vigilant and hoping.

Dad is doing fine though he is mighty week. The pneumonia really took it out of him and the surgery has slowed him down. But he is ornery and given some time he will be his feisty self once again.

The youngest had his first interview at Chick-fil-A and he goes back for a second interview later this week and our fingers are crossed. Will be nice to see him do something a little more constructive with his life than video games and music.

Well, time marches on and so does life. I wish I could say work at the newsroom is fun but since mid-February, it has been a real pain. So last week I told them if something doesn’t give this week, I walk. So time will tell. I will not be surprised if they do nothing just to see my resolve. Well, they will be in for a shock. Do I have anything lined up if I walk? No, but several nibbles could make it interesting. But worse case, we sell the house, move to Florida and retire 3 years early. So I see a win-win situation no matter what happens.

This weekend I watched a Camelot movie for the umpteenth time and probably shouldn’t have. It brought back too much pain about the Camelot I loved and spent so many years in. To see it now doesn’t help matters.

Hang on Dark Towers, I will return and we will get that place lit up and rockin. Who knows, I might even get to write once again. A special thanks to all those who have keep some semblance of life going on there. From what I see in the channels now, the real role players should unite and get things rolling again or the chat monster will take over and many a dream will die from inactivity.

Picture this; it is Thursday afternoon on I-66 where the leftmost lane is HOV-2 until 7 p.m. I am riding along doing the usual brake light dance. To my left three cars pass me with only one person in them. Following them is a State Trooper doing who knows what but definitely not watching traffic. Behind the trooper are 2 more cars with only one person. Why have HOV if they don’t enforce it. This sucks if the State Police are too ignorant to know the law and then make some attempt to enforce it. This is a perfect example why the A-Types here blow off most traffic laws. No one does the speed limit because they usually are 10-15 over. Why? They know the troopers don’t stop you for that. The A-Types run red lights pass on the right using the merge lane and dive across 3 lanes to make an exit from the HOV lanes. But until the Troopers make it painful, driving in the nation’s capital will suck. Maybe we sent all the good ones to California so they could write tickets out there!

Good-bye, John Paul II, your were a good man though I didn’t subscribe to all you preached. Maybe Benny Hen could follow your example of humility and sell his 10 million dollar house to help the needy and poor like the money was originally donated for.

Michael Jackson continues to show us how much a predator he is. Yes, all those witnesses may have a grudge, but they paint a picture of someone with a real problem.