This just hasn’t been my summer: hitting the hog in June; shingles in July; gallbladder surgery in August; and now this! You the reader are getting the final few words of my existence.
Last night I was feeling a little "punky" and fell asleep in my chair. The Warden woke me sometime later and said I needed to go to bed. (Does it ever make sense to wake someone up to go to bed?)
This morning I got up and started feeling around in the dark trying to find my glasses since the Warden is a little "touchy" if I turn on the lights at 3:30 AM! Well I finally found them and strolled into the kitchen to start the coffee.
Dang I couldn’t focus. I rubbed my eyes and even put in drops to get the "fuzz" out of them. When I opened the refrigerator the whole thing seemed to move and sway. I got rather queasy and thought I was about to upchuck. I even sit down on the floor till things stopped swaying quite so bad.
I hate having that dang flu. It comes on so suddenly! I haven’t had the stuff in years. It was all I could do to get the coffee made before I fell over!
Then I came to the computer to get my email. I was so dizzy I could barely make the mouse work.No way could I even focus the computer screen well enough to read the few emails I had. Finally I gave up and went into the living room and my easy chair to die. I sat there with my eyes closed and tried to take my mind off my swirling stomach.
I know this is to be my last day on planet earth. There is no way I am going to survive.It has taken three attempts to get back to my computer to record my final moments. But I have finally persevered. Here I sit, my head leaned back and trying in vain to focus on one spot on the ceiling, I must get my "Last Will and Testament" written before it's to late. Slowly adding one or two words to this, my final blog.
I can now hear the Warden stirring in her room. I sure hope that maybe she will have compassion on her dying husband.
Well she just stuck her head in the door of the computer room and said, "Why are you wearing my glasses? Here are yours!"
Well, turns out I am not sick after all.
Dang! Now I got to go to work!
click here
Dennis
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Donuts
I have decided that true Americans eat donuts.
I am writing this blog this morning from a motel in Dallas. Even on trips I cannot sleep late and the Warden "requested" that I find SOMETHING to do rather than turn on the lights or TV at 4AM. So I decided to go find a donut shop and get a cup of coffee. (One thing good about 4 AM in Dallas, there are fewer cars on the road!!) But anyway, as I drove by a strip mall a couple miles from the motel I noticed a donut shop with only one car parked outside.
Once inside I noticed that the glass cabinet was full of various glazed, maple covered, cake, plain or powdered pastries. It was hard to make a selection, but I persevered and selected a maple covered long john. I then poured a medium cup of hot coffee, bought a Dallas Morning News and went to a chair in the corner to enjoy my selections.
This being an election year, the paper was naturally full of articles concerning politically charged events throughout the city, state and nation. In many of those articles were "titles" attached to people’s names. Titles such as "Democratic leader", "Conservative spokesman", "African-American leader", "Hispanic representative" could be found in each article describing or categorizing an individual.
I continued to pretend I was reading the paper as a Caucasian man in a police uniform entered the store. A man of African decent sitting across from me spoke to him concerning some Vietnam War veteran’s benefits. As they discussed the topic, it became apparent that they were friends and very possibly shared some past experiences in the military.
The Caucasian man then walked to the counter and placed his order with the Asian man behind the counter. The Caucasian man ordered a dozen glazed donuts as the Asian owner chided him over his weight with a grin. The Caucasian policeman jokingly said that the Asian owner was going to get more parking tickets if he said any more about his weight.
The Caucasian policeman took his order and turned to leave, almost running into a Hispanic woman who had entered the store on her way to her job. Apologizing for his blunder the Caucasian policeman then asked the Hispanic nurse how she liked her new job at the Medical Center.
The Hispanic nurse then approached the Asian owner and placed her order for some jelly filled Danishes. As the Asian owner filled her order she asked how the new baby was doing. The Asian owner beamed with pride as he related the latest "new baby" story to her.
As you can see from the previous few paragraphs, titles such as these do not help the story. All were concerned of the others wellbeing. There was no need of "titles". What I seen was a mix of ethnicity all coming together as friends, neighbors and Americans without the need of a "Black Leader" or "Asian Spokesman" or "Hispanic Representative" or "Conservative Demagogue" or "Liberal Prolocutor".
Let’s just be Americans!
Dennis
I am writing this blog this morning from a motel in Dallas. Even on trips I cannot sleep late and the Warden "requested" that I find SOMETHING to do rather than turn on the lights or TV at 4AM. So I decided to go find a donut shop and get a cup of coffee. (One thing good about 4 AM in Dallas, there are fewer cars on the road!!) But anyway, as I drove by a strip mall a couple miles from the motel I noticed a donut shop with only one car parked outside.
Once inside I noticed that the glass cabinet was full of various glazed, maple covered, cake, plain or powdered pastries. It was hard to make a selection, but I persevered and selected a maple covered long john. I then poured a medium cup of hot coffee, bought a Dallas Morning News and went to a chair in the corner to enjoy my selections.
This being an election year, the paper was naturally full of articles concerning politically charged events throughout the city, state and nation. In many of those articles were "titles" attached to people’s names. Titles such as "Democratic leader", "Conservative spokesman", "African-American leader", "Hispanic representative" could be found in each article describing or categorizing an individual.
I continued to pretend I was reading the paper as a Caucasian man in a police uniform entered the store. A man of African decent sitting across from me spoke to him concerning some Vietnam War veteran’s benefits. As they discussed the topic, it became apparent that they were friends and very possibly shared some past experiences in the military.
The Caucasian man then walked to the counter and placed his order with the Asian man behind the counter. The Caucasian man ordered a dozen glazed donuts as the Asian owner chided him over his weight with a grin. The Caucasian policeman jokingly said that the Asian owner was going to get more parking tickets if he said any more about his weight.
The Caucasian policeman took his order and turned to leave, almost running into a Hispanic woman who had entered the store on her way to her job. Apologizing for his blunder the Caucasian policeman then asked the Hispanic nurse how she liked her new job at the Medical Center.
The Hispanic nurse then approached the Asian owner and placed her order for some jelly filled Danishes. As the Asian owner filled her order she asked how the new baby was doing. The Asian owner beamed with pride as he related the latest "new baby" story to her.
As you can see from the previous few paragraphs, titles such as these do not help the story. All were concerned of the others wellbeing. There was no need of "titles". What I seen was a mix of ethnicity all coming together as friends, neighbors and Americans without the need of a "Black Leader" or "Asian Spokesman" or "Hispanic Representative" or "Conservative Demagogue" or "Liberal Prolocutor".
Let’s just be Americans!
Dennis
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Seriously Speaking
Seldom do I write anything of a serious nature. However I am compelled to write this as we approach an election cycle. First I must define a few definitions.
Democracy: government by the people; especially : rule of the majority
democracy. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law. Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/democracy
Republic: a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
republic. (n.d.). WordNet® 2.0. Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/republic
Think for a few minutes how our form of government protects all people. Each state has 2 Senators, each equal in power, yet population of different states varies greatly. This prevents "mob rule", which would be the downside of a PURE democracy.
Also with each state varying in population, there is a need for a representative based on the needs of a populace. Thus we elect representatives based on the populace of each state. This prevents a "few" people from controlling the "mass", which would be the downside of a PURE republic based totally on regions or states.
Thus we send representatives to Washington DC based on population and on regions to act as our voices in making laws, creating taxes and controlling our governing principles on a national level.
Our nation was founded on the theory that all people should be represented within the government. We are a republic with a democratically elected congress. The wisdom of such a form of government must have had some divine guidance. Otherwise a few of the larger cities could have "ruled" the USA. Or conversely a region with a small population could have dictated the populace of the whole.
Also consider our economic system which is generally described as capitalistic. Take a moment and read the definition of the three major economic systems/theories.
Capitalism: an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.
capitalism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/capitalism
Socialism: Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
socialism. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/socialism
Communism: a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
communism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/communism
I am capitalistic in nature. I do not believe that the "community" or government should own the marketplace or control the output of goods and services. This allows best for the general distribution of wealth. One merely has to look around at other nations to see this system is best. If one looks at Venezuela (Hugo Chavez) or North Korea (Kim Jong IL), it is easy to see that even though both countries claim to be "democratic", the leaders live in wealth while the masses suffer extreme poverty.
The American dream is allowed because of these two great facts: capitalism and our form of governing. Be sure and vote this coming election. Be sure and vote for the person who will best uphold these two basic American principles.
Dennis
Democracy: government by the people; especially : rule of the majority
democracy. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law. Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/democracy
Republic: a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
republic. (n.d.). WordNet® 2.0. Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/republic
Think for a few minutes how our form of government protects all people. Each state has 2 Senators, each equal in power, yet population of different states varies greatly. This prevents "mob rule", which would be the downside of a PURE democracy.
Also with each state varying in population, there is a need for a representative based on the needs of a populace. Thus we elect representatives based on the populace of each state. This prevents a "few" people from controlling the "mass", which would be the downside of a PURE republic based totally on regions or states.
Thus we send representatives to Washington DC based on population and on regions to act as our voices in making laws, creating taxes and controlling our governing principles on a national level.
Our nation was founded on the theory that all people should be represented within the government. We are a republic with a democratically elected congress. The wisdom of such a form of government must have had some divine guidance. Otherwise a few of the larger cities could have "ruled" the USA. Or conversely a region with a small population could have dictated the populace of the whole.
Also consider our economic system which is generally described as capitalistic. Take a moment and read the definition of the three major economic systems/theories.
Capitalism: an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.
capitalism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/capitalism
Socialism: Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
socialism. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/socialism
Communism: a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
communism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved October 08, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/communism
I am capitalistic in nature. I do not believe that the "community" or government should own the marketplace or control the output of goods and services. This allows best for the general distribution of wealth. One merely has to look around at other nations to see this system is best. If one looks at Venezuela (Hugo Chavez) or North Korea (Kim Jong IL), it is easy to see that even though both countries claim to be "democratic", the leaders live in wealth while the masses suffer extreme poverty.
The American dream is allowed because of these two great facts: capitalism and our form of governing. Be sure and vote this coming election. Be sure and vote for the person who will best uphold these two basic American principles.
Dennis
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