STOP shoveling coal in the "hate furnace"

Part of my morning routine is to check various news sources and sift through the noise to see if something important happened while I slept.

Holy crap! There is so much going on that doesn't really matter yet it seems to me that EVERYTHING gets the same priority on how it's reported.

Speaking of false equivalencies... What I'm really tired of is BOTH sides of any issue just shoveling proverbial coal in the hate furnace.

I get it... You're angry, you disagree with someone's viewpoint and want to let the world know of your displeasure about what's going on.  There is a place to unleash your rage and vent.

In my humble opinion, it shouldn't be in the news.

The news should REPORT issues from as high a viewpoint as possible and just report the facts.

There are actual problems in the world that need solving and again, in my own opinion, we have GOT to move past the rage and focus on solutions.

Just insulting and bitching about people you disagree with is not enough.

We have TV networks and websites devoted to feeding the wolf of confirmation bias that our brain ends up STUCK in a world where everyone who disagrees with us is the enemy.

Our government should be comprised of statesmen who's job is to sift through the BS and help their constituents UNDERSTAND the issues and explain viewpoints with FACTS and DATA and not just pander to people's feelings to get reelected.

Anyone can just fan the flames of hate, unfortunately, that's what the president feels his job is.

Are we not the UNITED States of America?

Not the let's point out how wrong/stupid the liberals or conservatives are.

Maybe I'm dreaming of a world where people take the time to look at their viewpoint critically and then decide that just because someone disagrees with you they ought to be hated.

STOP SHOVELING COAL IN THE HATE FURNACE.

OK, I'm done :).    

 

The New Normal

It seems like every couple of years I write a post and then just like that... I disappear.

Consistency has never been my strong suit, at least not when it came to my own personal endeavors.

Always working for someone else, dedicated to a fault. Many times sticking around longer than I should have.

Ans when the dust settles I always swear that things will change...this will be different...I'll reinvent myself. Only to end up in another thankless job, with golden handcuffs that keep me chained to my desk.

The cycle continues.

Until now.

I'm doing something I've never done. Out of my comfort zone with the possibility of failure. The fear keeps me trying. I can do this. I've been through worse.

This is my new normal and I'll keep trying.

False Starts

If I had a dollar for every time I had an idea for a project that never got started I would be right up there with Bill Gates.  Yea... that many.

The funny thing is not matter how much I flesh it out in my mind, write a summary, put together a business plan it ALWAYS ends up the same.  I stop.

I wish I had a good excuse but I really don't.  Most of the time I lose interest or I decide maybe this isn't what I really want.  My favorite is I don't see a clear path to monetize this.

You see... I'm not looking to be some big hot shot millionaire.  I actually enjoy working in an office and interacting with other people.  BUT I would love to pay off my student debt and pay off my house and have some time to travel.  Also to retire comfortably,... I don't want a big fancy house, although I do have a nice house now.

I have absorbed so much content from all the experts out there I am in a constant state of "analysis paralysis".

I figure one of these days I'll find the right project.  When I do I am positive I have the skills to get it done.

Now... What is that ONE thing?

What Will Your Legacy Be? Your Life's Purpose

I've asked myself this question THOUSANDS of times...

What is my life's purpose?

I'm almost 50 and I think I may have figured it out.  It depends WHEN I asked the question and what was going on in my life.

Not too many people know this about me but at one time I had considered becoming a Catholic priest.

Those who know me are probably saying NO WAY!

Let's just say I didn't always have the best judgment in the world and I may or may not have let my fascination with women get the better of me.

So, when you are trying to get your bills paid and you can barely stay focused on the coming weekend the LAST thing you are thinking about is your legacy.

What will you leave behind that people will remember about you?  

There have been times where I felt that I was making more of an impact on other peoples life and other times not so much. 

I got married late in life and my wife and I at some point decided not to have children.

I don't regret that decision, however there goes any easy answer for the whole legacy thing.

What the heck can I do to leave this world just a tiny bit better then it would have been if I hadn't existed at all.

I can be there for my friends and family and try to make their lives a little easier or so they don't have to struggle as much.

Everyone struggles and I think its how we grow so you want to help people just enough.

Now I am trying to write.

Maybe my words will touch someone. Just maybe they will try whatever it is one more time.

Cause in the end it's all about getting up and trying again when we fail.  Learning just enough to try it a little differently.

By helping each other we all can learn and make our journey to the grave just a little bit more pleasant.

Day by day by day... 

The 2016 Election in a Nutshell...

So...  This year's election is off the rails so to speak.   Donald Trump has become the sole candidate for the Republican party.  The establishment is still in a state of pseudo denial.  I believe they will come around...In time.

What does this say about Republicans?

They have completely lost touch with their base.  The Tea Party and Fox News have been fanning the flames of conservatism. Why would that not bring about a candidate like Donald Trump?

You can't have it both ways...

You can't ride the wave of public anger over the failures of establishment politics and then freak out when people vote for an anti-establishment candidate.

Now before you try and throw Ted Cruz in the mix let me tell you how I feel about this guy.

Cruz he is a master of pandering politics and word on the street is a serious asshole...

Cruz should know you can't run for office as the guy to discombobulate the Fed.  What kind of candidate tries to get elected as president under the premise of hey, vote for me and I'll completely make it so the government has no power.

You think its not working now?  I wonder is someone told him you use the office of the president to lead the country.  Any nitwit can just go in and reverse EVERY executive order that Obama made.  That has greatest pandering effect to the haters.

I wonder if he realizes that by dismantling the government he will in effect diminish his own ability to lead?  Who does that?!

The Democrats are in a pickle as well... I'm not a fan of Hilary Clinton, yet she is the safe bet in my opinion.  If you like the way things are now then she is your candidate.

Her presidency, in my opinion, will offer little in the way Washington gets things done.  A vote for Hilary is a vote for the status quo.

The conservative media  would LOVE for her to be president.  All their copy will still work, just replace Obama with Hilary.  They will have no problem whatsoever attacking her because she is a woman.  Its pretty common knowledge that conservatives don't dig on strong women.

And Bernie...  I won't lie, his message resonates with me.  He is trying to change things. But and its a big BUT; I don't think this country is ready for ANY candidate that even hints at a flavor of socialism.

Fanboys such as myself think of the GOOD kind of socialism... Socialism that leads to Star Fleet and the exploration of space.  

In what I call the real world I believe SOME socialist systems could help even out the playing field. But, yet if we don't set some sort of realistic boundaries we might end up like the abomination that is Venezuela.

Any way, I apologize if this post is somewhat scatter brained.  I'm a writer in process and I hope to develop my style in good time.

Keep The Faith!

Writing for a living

Sooooo...

I'm going to take a stab at this whole writing for money thing.

I've got the whole marketing thing down and I have been 'training' to become a writer for a couple of years now.  The funny part is I have READ about becoming a writer without actually writing.

I'm committed now, Hell or high water I will write.

You WILL buy something from me, I know it.

:)

So I'm a writer...

Today I decided to be a writer.

I don't have a paying job as a writer and I haven't started a novel or anything but I am proclaiming that as of today I write.

Not sure if I am particularly good at it but I am willing to give it a shot.

I hope to inspire with my words.

Tell people there is a better way.

Maybe my legacy will be to start a movement of rational thinking.

Using data to solve problems and to set our differences aside.

Maybe its a dream.

Maybe no one will care to listen.

I have to try.

It starts now.

Almost 50...

So I'm knocking on 50's door...

OK so I still have another year to go, still it feels like I am nearing the end of an era and starting a new.

I don't feel this old, yet here I am.  I have a lot of the same fears, hopes and dreams I had over 10 years ago yet I feel like I have been moving forward the whole time.

I guess life is about change, so as long as I got that going on I'm good.

Some days I feel nostalgic for the old days... Some days I'm thankful they've past.  And other days I'm like I should not still be sitting here trying to figure stuff out.

I do have these weird sort of feeling that things will be alright... I have been through tough times and good times and always emerged a better person.  That's about the sum of my life until now.

Que sera, sera...

-H

I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing...

Some of you might recognize this quote, it’s from the first Star Wars movie, Darth Vader says it as he force chokes an Imperial officer for chiding him that the Force is not enough against the rebels.

 This post is not about Star Wars but about my own lack of faith which I find... disturbing.

 As the events unfold in the shooting in San Bernardino, CA my heart sinks as it is has been proven to be an act of radical Islam. In light of this, the folks on the right are feeling a sense of justification for their fear and this will boost anyone that has an “us vs. them” world view.

 That is pretty much guaranteed. For me it takes a darker turn. I lose faith, what little I have left, that there is a God out there and that He cares at all about what goes on down here.

 I know there are those that say that we are responsible for all this evil in this world, but what about innocent people?

 They don't deserve this and I refuse to be made to feel guilty by believing that it is my sin or my lack of faith that is at fault. I don't know, things look dark for now, but hey... you gotta have faith that things will turn around I guess.

Now What?

So you work really hard.  Like REALLY hard.  You work more than one job to somehow get ahead of just having enough money to pay your rent, bills, food etc.  Some people work at the same company for years and just work their way up the ladder.  You get to the top, then what?

Some times I get frustrated because I find myself asking "now What?"  I'm here, I'm making good money, I'm looking for a house, my cars are paid of and my student loans, which I acquired late in life, are almost paid off so I should be living the dream... Welp, I'm not feeling it.

I don't want to be ungrateful, I have a great job, just not particularly fulfilling at times.  I just have a feeling of being underwhelmed.  I'm almost 50, I should be at my prime but yet I feel more is yet to come.  There has got to be more to life than this.

Why People Think I'm Smart

By the subject of this post you might think that I'm writing this just to toot my own horn but I can assure you its not.  I believe most people in my family think I am some sort of genius however in my opinion I just like researching and using Google A LOT.

 If that makes me smarter than the average person than so be it.  I can't fathom living in a world in which I don't answer any question that I have.  With the Internet at our finger tips how is it possible not to answer a question you have or dig deeper for an understanding in concepts you don't get.

It appears that most people don't give a crap.  They just remain in ignorant bliss when the answer is just a few clicks away.  Granted with so many heavily biased and opinionated blogs ( I ain't even gonna lie, my opinions are my own and by no way dictate a truth just my perception of it) it takes some digging to get to the 'Truth".

I think its extremely important that at the very least listen to both sides of a position and try your very best to think outside of your own belief system which I admit is a lot harder than it sounds.  My advice is to keep in open mind and realize that we share this planet with other people who have other viewpoints and and experiences.  T

hat doesn't mean you need to agree with everyone you just need to accept that not everyone is EVER going to agree on everything and don't focus on imposing your beliefs on others but on helping them understand why you believe what you do.

Who knows maybe it will lead you to God forbid change your mind and come to a new understanding :).

Haters Gonna Hate...

That saying use to bother the heck outta me but you know what?  It's true!  There are some people who are always going to find the bad in whatever you do or say.  There is nothing you can do to change their mind.  Face it, these kinda folks can be toxic and you should try to steer clear of them whenever possible.  Please don't confuse this with friends giving you honest advice either.

 Good friends will and should let you know if you are doing something dumb however naysayers will find fault in EVERYTHING you do.  Do not try to placate them...just slowly move away.  I read some where not to shoot down anyone's dream, it may be the only thing that keeps them going.  Be supportive when you can, make sure all criticism is followed up with something constructive, and if you can't say anything nice...shut the hell up :).

Learn Something Every Day

I know the title is not really original but man is it true.  Every day can and should be a learning experience, and not just as in learning a new skill.  Sometimes you'll learn something about someone you know that you didn't know before.  A side of them that is seldom seen.  You know the type of person that may always seem that they have it together. They may let their guard down for a moment and you see insecurities that we all share.  We can never forget that we are ALL people and have the same feelings.  There are some that may have a handle at expressing them or hiding them better than others.  As I'm sure you have heard the saying that the ties that bind us are stronger then the things that tear us apart.  Always try and learn from one another each and every day.  Love All, Serve All.

Hmmmm

So.... Anybody ever get tired of the same old grind?  I suppose sometimes its better than the alternative of not knowing where you will get your next meal from or where you are going to sleep.  I think sometimes we have so much stuff we tend to forget about how easy we may have it compared to the less fortunate.

One of the biggest issues I've seen when 2 people are arguing is that they are either unable or refuse to see where their opponent is coming from.  When I say unable I mean they have not had the same experiences the other person has had so they think that they must be wrong or are lying.

The point I'm trying to make is unless we can empathize with other people and feel what they are feeling how can we ever hope to understand them.  We don't have to agree with what others might say but maybe just maybe we can start a dialogue and find some common ground. Just some stuff I have been thinking about...

Peace

Who do I write to?

I'm in a bit of a dilemma...  I really really want to be a writer but I don;t feel I have anything to write about that anyone else would give a damn about.  I have read that you need to write for the sake of writing first and then the rest will come.  Well, I'm waiting and still the words don't seem to come.  I'm going to keep waiting I guess...  My time will come and when it does I hope I can change the world, mind at a time.

What Can We Learn From Each Other

OK, so I have been thinking... I know it's a dangerous thing.  I read a lot of stuff and I have yet to see any productive posts about bipartisanship (Maybe I'm not looking in the right place).  Kinda like Sasquatch you hear about it but it is seldom seen and no one believes the people that claim to have seen it.

I was mulling around the idea of listing the POSITIVE things about each political party.  I mean honestly there has to be SOMETHING that they see eye to eye on.  The I'm taking my toys and going home attitude totally sucks. Seriously, there needs to be a conversation confronting hard truths and realistic ways of solving our problems as a country.  Just my 2 cents.

Let's Start a Conversation

Its time to start a conversation, not just talk but a 2 way communication.  In order to better understand each other we need to agree on a a set definition of terms.  Once we get there then we can discuss stuff :)