Reflections of Me

     Today, St. Patrick's Day 2019, marks the end of a sad, disgusting, despairing week.  Our Nation rolls on nearly rudderless, with a pilot who makes Captain Queeg look sane.  The World, particularly the Western World ( considered by many to be the watermark of civilization ), seems to grow more mad with each passing day.  The latest madness, a hate-fueled murder and wounding of 100 people in New Zealand, has left me for several days at a loss.  One lone madman, armed with firearms, has killed 50 people, and wounded 50 more.  Some of whom may not recover.  Their crime in his eyes?  They were attending a church for their religion.  Yes.  That's all.      This leads me to once again consider the madness that seems to be infecting the world.  A madness fueled by hate, hate of anything perceived as 'different'.  Hate that has begun to be endorsed by World Leaders.  One of the most promine...

     Well, here we go again, folk.  After months of distractions, inane and insane twitter posts, a partial government shutdown lasting over a month, and a seemingly paralyzed GOP-led Senate, President Trump finally admitted he was not going to get his border wall money from Congress.  Rather than admit defeat, however, he accepted Congress's latest offer to keep the government operating and declared the border a National Emergency.  Which of course it isn't, but, he has never let facts get in the way of trying to get what he wants.  If he is successful, and of course he brags he and his staff are willing to take it all the way the the Supreme Court, he can take government funds allocated for other programs and use it to pay for constructing new border fencing.      That this comes at a time when the results of his and the GOP's tax law changes are coming into focus ( as most of America knew it would ) makes it even more interesting....

     As I have written in previous musings, baseball has been a major part of my life since I was a very young child.  Today, nearly 70 years later, it remains as one thing I still look forward to every Spring.  It isn't as large a focus now as it was lo those many years ago, but I still follow the teams and players as well as I can.  Some I follow reluctantly, because they appear in what I do follow more than I'd like, but, like politics, it's something that is difficult to ignore.      As my formative years featured players who were active during the 40;s, 50's, and 60's, I consider myself somewhat 'old school' in how I view the game, in what I feel is right or not right as changes occur.  Which they do, more frequently since the 70's than in the decades prior.  Major League Baseball moves at a slower pace, which suits me just fine ; both the game, and the rules, really should not be heavily messed with.   ...

      I spend a inordinate amount of time just thinking about stuff.  You know--stuff.  I believe my mind has developed AADD.  Or ADHD.  Or maybe ACDC.  Or possibly ADHOC.  Certainly not IBM.  More like ROTFLMFAO.      Just, it doesn't always let me know.  You know?  Which seems like a idiotic thing to ask, however, I have never claimed NOT to be a idiot.  I know I'm a idiot, I wish I'd quit treating myself like one. Being a idiot, however, I don't know that I am.      I've always wondered, for example, about being a author, about writing a book.  No idea what subject.  What I have always wondered about is pseudonyms.  Many authors use them at some point, so, I have considered what I would like to use.  I believe I have settled upon one I like.      Almondine Amontillado.  It's alliterative, it's-----hold on, there, I see you in the corner....

     Yes, today -- September 17 2018 -- is Constitution Day.      I guess my first thought on this would be : why does our Constitution need a Day?  Isn't it -- well -- EVERY day?  But, all right, it has been 231 years since it was written.  A wee smidgeon of time in relation to World History and associated historic, life-changing documents.  Still counts, however.  Counts big time.      In addition, how many of us in America today -- actual citizens of the United States -- know much about it?  We know ( or think we do ) the Preamble.  Used to have to memorize it in school.  I did.  Can I recite it from memory today?      Not if my life depended upon it.      All right, then : how many Articles are there?  Without cheating, now.  (I'd have to. ) I know there are two for sure.  Three?  Six?  Nine?  I am not talk...

     Whoa!  The what, you say?  I've heard of that!      Yes, so have I.  But, you know me by now ; this isn't about that!  Well, okay, it is.  Sort of.  But no, it isn't.  I bet you are thinking I am going to explain that.      You'd be right.  And here I go : no, this is not about any organization, be it American, Canadian, British, or any land or sea based Nation.  There.  Got that out of the way.      Trust.  A small word.  Small words are good ; somes is nasty nasty, buts easys to remember, yes they are.  Preciousssss wordses!  Okay, okay, enough Gollum.  Well, what IS trust?  Yeah, yeah, it's a word.  But, what does it define?  Is it a emotion?      According to Webster, it is:      Definition of trust ...

      Now, there's a title for you!   Is that passive-aggressive?  And, just what IS passive-aggressive? How can one be both?  On the other hand, wouldn't you need to be armed to even have hands?  Let alone, rebellious ones.  One of life's little nagging questions.      Life has many nagging questions.  Questions, of course, SHOULD nag.  I believe that is their job.  If we are taught properly, we mature by always asking questions.  Though, school would be easier if we were given the answers before the questions.  Life would be easier, too.  But, no one said life would be easy.  I even question that.  Why hasn't anyone said life would be easy?  No, we are given to believe, life is the hardest job we will ever have.  Many among us who have performed various jobs during our lives might argue that, but the equation could be applied.  After all, one doesn't perfo...