Rob's profileRobin's 'HoodPhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
|
30 January The BlogsA lot of people have been saying that they are too many of us having our own blogs and writing whatever comes into our heads. They say that we should just go away. Come to think of it, that is what they say about senior citizens.
Anyway, obviously, I disagree. When people write stories from their everyday lives I think they find that their existence is not as mudane as they might believe. Many bloggers have some interesting things to say, like Jane whose rapid fire commentary about her life never fails to make me smile and even laugh out loud. Or Jenni whose wonderful Labrador Retriever makes up his own games.
I even have young students from China who read my blog and leave their comments. They are very intelligent and have a huge desire to learn about our country.
Our leaders are well insulated from the general public. They have people that do surveys and polls and reduce the populace to a bunch of numbers. They don't like press conferences and town meetings because they fear the unknown.
We have often been told that communication leads to understanding but our politicians and captains of industry really don't want to know us.
But we bloggers know each other, don't we? 24 January EthicsI see that one blogger has changed her name because another has been stalked.
Much is being said about employers using what is written on these blogs to punish or even refuse to hire employees. Being as we put things on here for all the world to see it is perfectly legal for management to use it but it certainly is unethical.
Using blog material to stalk someone is perverted and abhorrent. When management uses it to refuse a promotion or pay raise or even to fire the employee is it any less abhorrent?
These blogs exist as a means of expression, a place to air our opinions. Do we now have to hide in anonymity because of the unethical behavior of our employers?
I am retired and a senior citizen so I can pretty much say what I want. They can't take my retirement income away so the worst that could happen is maybe I will be stalked by a little old lady from Socorro. 20 January The BeastA little over a week ago, my wife had to go to the hospital for knee surgery. It was done arthroscopically so there were only three tiny punctures and we were told that there would be about a four week recovery period.
The instructions that we were given told us that she would immediately be able to put weight on that leg and that she should be off her crutches in two to three days.
Of course, on the first day, she was pretty well out of it, sleeping a lot mostly because of the anasthesia. By Sunday she was down to one crutch and I told her that she should try to get around on Monday using just a cane. By Wednesday she even got rid of that.
But here is the problem - everywhere we go, she is telling people that her husband took her crutches away and that is why she is walking with a limp.
She had to go in to the medical center for a blood test on Wednesday. We went to the waiting room and when she was called she walked toward the Technician and was asked why she was limping. In a very loud voice she said, "MY HUSBAND TOOK MY CRUTCHES AWAY!"
I sat there, shrinking into my chair, trying to ignore the glares of the other patients who were probably thinking that I was a terrible beast for taking the crutches from my poor, disabled wife.
She thinks this is very funny. 17 January The HatA friend of mine from my old home in Iowa said that my picture looks like a grizzled old cowboy. Lest anyone think that I moved to New Mexico and jumped into the whole cowboy thing I want to make it clear that I have been wearing this gear for years.
I bought my first pair of cowboy boots many years ago when I was stationed in South Dakota and have always liked them. I have worn hats for years and I have a good collection of them. The hat in the picture is an Akubra from an Australian family owned company that is over 100 years old. Akubra means "head covering" in one of Australia's many aboriginal languages. Hats are important here where the sun shines so strongly. If you are going to spend much time outdoors you need something with a wide brim for protection.
My other clothing is conventional stuff but I do like to wear the hats and boots in honor of our very important Western history. New Mexico is steeped in that history. On our trip to Carlsbad we went from Socorro to Roswell on highway 380. At one point we passed a sign that said "Lincoln County." I immediately thought of the Lincoln Country wars and Billy the Kid.
Cowboys started here and not in Texas as some think. Europeans traditionally herded their livestock using dogs where the Mexican Vaqueros used the horses that were brought to them by the Spanish conquistadors. The Mexicans brought the practice North to New Mexico and from here it spread throughout the Southwest and beyond.
Actually, the work "buckaroo" is a cowboy expression that comes from
vaquero.
Well, that is the history lesson for today, kids. Now you know why I like to wear hats and boots. Oh, and the occasional bola tie or silver and turqouise pendant and, now and then, a fancy belt buckle. Besides, it is impossible to wear this stuff without getting a little swagger in your step. 16 January The Silly FactorI watched an interview today with Jon Lovitz, the comedian best known for his liar character (yeah, that's the ticket.) He talked about how he was always acting silly in grade school. When he went to college he studied drama, serious acting. After that he went to Los Angeles and joined The Groundlings, an improvisational comedy group. He was overjoyed to find that everyone in the group acted silly. He was in his world.
The great nonsense writer Stephen Leacock once wrote about a character that "he jumped on his horse and rode off in all directions." It sounds silly and makes no sense except that it gives you a feeling of how agitated this guy was.
We need to have a lot of silliness in our lives. The advice, "grow up and act your age" condemns you to a miserable lifestyle.
We all have the ability to make others laugh. We may not have the comedy skills of Jon Lovitz but we can occasionally come up with a line that elicits laughter from another person. When they counter with something of their own in the same vein it makes for a very joyful connection.
We need to always be children, to sometimes laugh at almost nothing, the silliest things.
So why are you wasting time reading this?
Go, be silly and have fun. 14 January Bumper StickerSeen on the back of a van that passed me today:
You don't scare me - I'm a teacher.
Another warrior of the classroom. 11 January Laughing At The WorldI just told someone on another blog to keep searching for things to laugh at to chase away sadness. I try to find something to laugh at every day. I have even been known to laugh out loud at funerals. To remember something about the deceased that makes you laugh is to honor that person. I hope, when my time comes, that my friends will get some good chuckles out of remembering things that I have done or said.
I am a news junkie and sometimes I get angry at the foolishness of our leaders. The ability to laugh at life's foibles helps to temper that anger.
I love all kinds of comedy and sometimes laugh at things that other people seem to miss. I consider that ability to be a wonderful gift.
I think that the writings of Mark Twain and Will Rogers are so timeless that it seems that they are speaking about things that are happening now. Our humorists are our greatest geniuses. I don't think we could exist without them.
Keep laughing, friends. It beats the hell out of crying. 09 January New ShowI just watched the premiere of The Book of Daniel that I recorded on Friday. At first I thought I was not going to like it but, after the first 15 minutes, I began to see it as the very dark comedy that it obviously is intended to be. Aiden Quinn is marvelous as the Episcopalian priest who seems quite bemused by the problems in his life. Some of the best parts are his conversations with Jesus who pops up whenever others aren't around.
The usual people are condemning this show without ever seeing it. I am reminded of what Tom Smothers said when CBS was giving their show a hard time for "sacreligeous" humor. "If God truly made us in His image then surely He must have a sense of humor."
Regardless of what you believe, there is a certain amount of truth to that statement. Otherwise, why would it feel so good to laugh at everything? 08 January The ArtsWhen I retired in 1998 I was looking forward to having the time to enjoy all the Arts, music, books, movies and the best television shows. But, you know, there is never enough time for all of it. New musicians and authors are popping up all the time. I joined Netflix and their computer system has shown me many great movies that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Some television shows have excellent writing and acting. House and Veronica Mars come to mind along with CSI (the original or, as my daughter calls it, the real CSI) and the guilty pleasure of Desperate Housewives.
In New Mexico we have so many art galleries and arts and craft shows that it is almost overwhelming. Beautiful paintings and sculpture are everywhere, even on the freeways. Silver and turquoise jewelry are readily available, some at very good prices if you know where to look.
When I first visited the Albuquerque area I stopped in at a jewelry store in one of the malls. I was wearing my rings, a pendant and an earring. I told the clerk that I knew that I wore more jewelry than most guys. She said, "Hey, you're in New Mexico now." She was right, a lot of men here wear almost as much as women. It is a wonderful thing to be able to wear art as well as look at it.
I guess I am really fortunate. Some people retire and sit at home waiting to die. My life is full of all the things that I love and hey, I get to travel, too. 06 January Friday Night ServicesThe Rudy "Boy" Experiment will be playing at Smokehouse BBQ tonight and I am really looking forward to hearing them again.
They have a blog and the address is:
As I have stated before music is pretty much my religion. After a good concert I feel the way others do after a church service.
The world is still a very messed up place. Employment is up but at what wages? The war in Iraq rages on with new casualties every day. Most people are unhappy in the workplace.
But, for three hours tonight, all will be well. Rudy will be preaching the word... 04 January Friends (Not the TV show)It has always seemed remarkable to me how you instantly like some people. Some take time to grow on you and those can be the most solid friendships but, with others, upon first meeting them it is like you are continuing a conversation that has been going on for some time.
Someone once said, "Friends are family that you make for yourself." I have never found anything to be more true.
Of course, there is the other quote: "Friends are people who know you and like you anyway."
 My friends have always tended to be women. You get two guys together at the watercooler and the conversation usually goes on about the game last night. I am not into sports all that much. I don't really care about a bunch of guys chasing a ball around. When I worked I was in a support field (Personell) so most of my lunch friends were women. Our conversations were so far ranging. We talked about everything from politics to philosophy. Sometimes I miss that now.
These days I am making new friends through our blogs. We talk about everything under the sun and share pictures. And my old friends can look in and see what is going on. Is the internet great or what? 02 January Colorado VacationIn July we headed North to Alamosa, Colorado. Our purpose was to ride the Cumbres & Toltec narrow guage railroad from Antonito, CO to Chama, NM and then back by bus. One day we drove from Alamosa to Pagosa Springs just for the scenery. At Wolf Creek Pass they are doing construction so you get stopped for about 20 minutes until you can proceed. No one minded the delay as we all stood around talking to each other about the beauty of the mountains and taking a lot of pictures.
The photo collection that I just added has pictures of both that drive and the train ride. 01 January Happy New Year!A joyous and Happy New Year to all who read this blog. Last year was not so great what with all the hurricanes, the stock market actually posting a loss, and the seemingly endless war in Iraq. But, as bad as it was, this year has got to be better, right?
A note to those who read this blog even if you are not bloggers: There is a place at the bottom of these entries to leave comments. Please do. Even if you disagree with me, I won't get angry. Much. |
|
|
