Category: Randomness

Joe really oughta keep these to himself, but he what the hay…

Posted on

Hard Times Are Here Again

Words and Music by Tom Paxton

Some how this song seems so appropriate for the times I am afraid are a-coming.

Hard times are here again.
Folks are hunkerin’ down.
All the lost and lonely men,
Slowly leaving town.
Travelling by their thumbs,
Some are ridin’ blind,
Hoping things are better somewhere,
Somewhere down the line.

Don’t you worry Lucy, love.
See your mama through.
Soon as daddy gets his job,
He’s gonna send for you.

Hard times are here again.
All the wise old men,
Told us there was no way we’d have,
Times like these again.
We gave them all the power.
Gave them our belief.
We listened and we trusted,
And we landed on relief. Continue reading “Hard Times Are Here Again”

Posted on

Just do the Funky Leon

I have a dear friend whom I have known for 7 or 8 years.  His name is Leon, but I tend to call him many things.  Brother Leon or Brother J are two of my favorite, not that he is associated with a church in any capacity. It just seems to fit.

When I lived a little further south I used to golf with him at least once a week.  In the nice part of the year that once a week was usually  2 or 3 times a week.  Life being what life is.  And the economy being what it is, I have moved a couple times since I first met him.  I’ve gone from being a military brat to a computer gypsy.  Anyway you look at it I am not gathering any moss.

We do try to get together a few times a year to play golf and renew our friendship.  Needless to say, Brother Leon knows my swing well.  Since he does, I do not mind him giving me advice about my swing from time to time.  He is usually dead on as to my particular issue that day.  I could blame my mediocre golf game on lack of any real athletic ability!  Well, okay, I will do that.  One of my poorer tendencies in my golf swing is to get way too fast.  Fast in golf swing seldom equates to distance or a  good ball flight. Continue reading “Just do the Funky Leon”

Posted on

Redneck Bookends

We all travel in many circles in our life.  I travel in several myself, and dip my toe in a few others.  I’m golfer which is one circle.  I’m a programmer which is a work or geek circle.  I’ll let you choose.  I travel in the middle class circle, but I am probably just a few missed paychecks from not being there.  I’m an Okie.  I’m a male.  My girlfriend is Jewish.  One of the best friends I have ever had is black.  I count gay and lesbian folks among my friends.  I know folks up and down the economic scale.  I could name many more circles, but you get the idea. All of these are circles with their own set of rules and culture.

I’ve been to weddings that were sit down affairs with a full dinner, open bar and everyone dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns.  I’ve been to weddings in pastures where you had to be careful where you stepped to avoid the meadow muffins.

My daughter-in-law wanted me to attend the wedding of her brother.  The main reason was because her parents had never met any of her husband’s family.  I thought it a small kindness I could easily do with pleasure.  Besides, I was afraid her parents might be thinking my son Continue reading “Redneck Bookends”

Posted on

New Rule

If you are going to sag your pants down below your buttocks while wearing white boxers, you must use bleach whenever it is that you wash those things.  Just in case you have not figured out your greyish boxers are particularly revolting.  And I would bet you a house payment that they are not attracting the fairer sex.

Baggy/sagging pants, the defining link proving that “fashion” is bogus, and following the group is frequently stupid.

 

Posted on

Coffee Chatter

My lady friend and I are involved in a bicity relationship.  The bicity relationship came up as a result of the economy that resulted with me being laid off in St. Louis.  At my age I felt fortunate to find another job in my field…anywhere.

On weekends either I drive to see her in St. Louis or she drives to see me in Memphis.  Nearly everybody in my office knows this.  I came to work after the three day weekend.  The first thing I needed to do was get some java.  I was in the break room taking care of task one when one of my teammates walks in.

Making small talk she asked, “How was your weekend?”

I replied, “Fine.”

She then asked, “Did you go to St. Louis?”

“No,” I replied, “St. Louis came here.”

There was a fellow from the other side of the building pouring some coffee.  It would have been hard to not listen to the conversation.

He asked, “Who is St. Louis?  An exotic dancer?” Continue reading “Coffee Chatter”

Posted on

Oy Vey — To Bris or Not To Bris

Author’s note:   As Jack Friday would say, “The names of the participants in this have been changed to protect the innocent.”  That and so hopefully they will not beat the H-E-double hockey sticks out of me.

Last November my girlfriend, Gaia, and myself went to see the wonderful musician, Ellis Paul.  We invited Apollo to come with us even though the music was not his beloved opera.  Gaia and Apollo have been close friends for many, many years.   While I have not known Apollo as long, I consider him a friend also.  Apollo is perhaps 10 or 12 years older than Gaia and I.  He is retired from a technical position with the US government.  He is a very bright, a very Italian, gay gentleman.  He is a kind, genuine individual.  It is always interesting and entertaining to be around him.  He is one of those individuals that seem to live life to its fullest, and he does so with great joy.

After a wonderful evening of  music with Ellis Paul, Gaia and I took Apollo back to his abode.  He invited us in for some cheese and wine before we ventured back to the wilds of Chesterfield.  We visited for a while enjoying good wine and some cheese that Apollo had crafted himself.  I went to the bathroom and when I returned the conversation had turned to circumcision!  Apollo could not understand why it is so widely practiced in a non-Jewish nation such as the United States.    Continue reading “Oy Vey — To Bris or Not To Bris”

Posted on

Harold Camping Predicting World Ends May 21, 2011

I’m not buying it thank you very much.   But if you do… Please donate all your worldly goods to me.  Contact me and I will give you the particulars on how to do so!!!!

Judgment Day, May 21, 2011, The Bible Guarantees It.

Rapture Day Parties by American Atheists

iPhone Rapture Detector App

It is funny. Apparently, it is really hard to shed oneself of the vestiges of one’s upbringing. The Southern Baptist religion I was brought up in is full of guilt and damnation with nearly every human action sinful. In it the vast majority of humanity is going to suffer eternal damnation in a fiery pit. I know they talk about Christ’s love and all that, but that is not the message I took away.

I think this Harold Camping fellow is totally bonkers, as I do of most religions. I understand the impulse to be religious, but IMHO opinion none of the religions hold up under scrutiny. YET, I feel a tinge of guilt or fear making fun of Camping and this rapture mania in general. The human mind is a strange critter at best.