You Can't Cry Over Broken Eggs Amongst Friends

Broken Egg is the name and egg dishes are their game with a few Friends. @ the end of November thru Mid-December 2007, I spent some quality time with my Sister and her Family in NOLA (New Orleans Louisiana). Well, to be more specific they live on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the small parish town of Madisonville, LA. I had a wonderful time spent mostly Christmas shopping for my niece and nephew. I ate at two places this trip that I absolutely have to say are a couple of the best places I have ever eaten. The food and drink in both places is superb and I have to give each a 5 Star recommendation. The 1st place is a cafe in Old Mandeville, LA called The Broken Egg. They do not have a website as far as I can Google but I will attach directions here. They have simply some of the best breakfasts I have ever had and I am not one for breakfast; as mornings are not my forte' but that being said...the Stan's #1 Omelet, the Hey Ricky, the Floridian, and the Crab Stack crab cakes for breakfast are the best I have ever consumed...did I say enough about this place or what.

The second place we ate but by no means in 2ND place was a restaurant called Friends, in Old Madisonville, LA right on the Tchefuncte River. In fact, if you have a boat you can dock right @ the Restaurant and they will come out and serve you right on your boat. It was the most fabulous meal I have also ever had and I had one of the specialties of the house called Jack-Leg Chicken. it was a a huge fried chicken breast covering a huge portion of Jambalaya and all that covered with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and ladled with Gumbo over all of that. It truly is more than one can eat in a sitting even for me but I did it...Wow!

News for News Sake

I have been reading lately...yes, I do read from time to time...and it seems everyone has a comment about newspapers or magazines having a liberal or conservative bent. Whatever, happened to News for News sake. Did this genre die out in the 1940's or something. Why is it that commentators think the average American is an idiot? I am average and I am not an idiot. Newspapers have labels such as The New York Times, or Kansas City Star, Time Magazine or even CNN programs such as AC 360 are labeled as "Liberal". Well, this may be true but give me some credit. I have the ability to interpret what I read.

I am a Democrat by a long family tradition but I possess Conservative values because I am also a Catholic. I hate to mix my religion and my politics. I have stated before that I hate politics and I still do. It is however, a necessary evil in our democratic republic and our times in general. (did you see I mixed the two together Democrat and Republican, I even got a little military terminology in there..general...get it?). Anyway, I digress, Why is it that I cannot read any article without it having a "Conservative" or "Liberal" label attached to it. Why am I also chastised for not having the knowledge to know the difference. I do, I see a viewpoint for what it is. I am not brainwashed by a certain statement exception for the Holy Father, the Pope. What he says goes...

Did you see that? Did you catch on to that? Did you see what I just did there. You were thinking this guys a "Liberal" but then I threw in His Eminence, The Pope. I can be both or in my case, not either, not anything. I take a stand on issues for issue sake. I refuse to be labeled. I vote for and how I want. I read an article and judge for myself its merits and its drawbacks. I am not swayed unless I read something to sway me, something to agree or disagree with. Even on the TV, a commentator who is either "Conservative" or "Liberal", brands their guest speakers in either of the same vane, vain? Admittedly, it is usually a forum for a he said, she said opposition type view. See there...again I have input a sexist slur into my writing...he said, did you catch that...

At any rate, I would just once like to read or listen to news, articles of interest, or even a Martha Stewart "Good thing" without attaching a label to it. I have been labeled throughout my entire life and from school age forward I have let myself be hurt and sometimes held back by labels. I am a LIAR or so you might be told by some. I am GAY, as you might to told by others. ((Of which I am not...but as Jerry Seinfeld so well put it there is nothing wrong with it.) Well actually my faith tells me so but I will not judge those but before God.) I am said over-EMOTIONAL and UnSTABLE by a few still. I am a FOOL and a BASTARD (the latter is true unfortunately). The point I am so uneloquently, trying to make is that labels actually hurt more people than they help. I have many issues that a lot of therapy has tried to untangle because of the labels that someone placed upon me and grew into my flesh like the portrait of Dorian Grey. (Read the book, its a good one). Today, I am none of the things I mentioned, except the Bastard (in the antiquated sense of the word), that is a label that I wear with pride because I wouldn't be who I am without it. I would be someone else that perhaps didn't get a label but Mr. Destiny has yet to rearrange my existence. Perhaps tomorrow I shall wake up to a different life. I fear that life although different would have ultimately been the same because no matter the life the labels are still there. We must create a new way to co-exist without a label. Unfortunately, we might all get Lima beans when we were hoping for chicken soup and what a world that would be....

In the Beginning there was Roast Beef....

I cut and pasted the following from a recent email. It made me smile...

Enjoy!

IT DOESN'T HURT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIBLICAL HUMOR ONCE IN A WHILE...

Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?

A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany ?

A. German Shepherds.

Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?

A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?

A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?

A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.

Q.. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?

A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ?

A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.

Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?

A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.

Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?

A. The area around Jordan The banks were always overflowing.

Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?

A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?

A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark ?

A. Because Noah was standing on the deck. ( Groan .)

PS. Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee? Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . "He-brews."

KEEP SMILING!!!! GOD LOVES YOU BUNCHES AND BUNCHES!!!!

Friends are God's way of taking care of us.

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Is it Really Oversimplification of a Word?

I have to comment on the recent turn of events involving “Dog” the bounty Hunter. It seems he was taped during a phone conversation using the
“N” word and now A&E has pulled his show from the lineup of TV programs.
I gotta tell ya this is the latest in slaps that I have to make a commentary on.
I think what he said was a bad thing but in the scheme of everything else on TV it’s so mild in comparison. I am still amazed @ the Don Imus thing, as well.
I am still mystified when a person of color tells me that it’s alright if they use the “N” word or call themselves “””””ho’s but I am a heretical maniac if I do it. I am stunned by this ignorance. It demeans anyone regardless of their race to use those derogatory words in any context or situation. To me it shows the persons lack of education when they say these statements to me. It should never be alright in any case. On the same score, I don’t think anyone should be punished in the manner of Don Imus or Dog the Bounty Hunter. OK, Don Imus said something on the airwaves but as I understand it “Dog” was having a private telephone conversation that was somehow taped or something. That alone is invasion of privacy.
I say a lot of things over the phone that I would never say in public because it’s simply my private line that I pay a monthly fee to have the right to use without invading my space. This should be treated like a violation of HIPPA laws or something. Just today I am on-line entering codes on my Coke-Rewards account collecting points toward different stuff and I came across Ring tones to download. I thought that would be a good use of points to redeem toward...so I happen to come upon a voice ring tone from the Artist listed as “Swing” and the title of the ring tone was “On My Momma”, which I thought would be something cute about Momma’s but what I heard throughout the song (if you can call it that) was the word “nigga” (the “N” word) over and over throughout the voice ring tone.
I was offended (and in big red letters too) What is more serious is that children...children, have access to things just like this. There are no NC-17 warnings that I could read about children’s access to this kind of thing. Not to mention the fact that something as simple as a ring tone could be so offensive and on a Coca-Cola sponsored website (their own website). http://www.mycokerewards.com/. I was also just watching Cartoon Network and there was a preview of a cartoon called the Boon Docks. They were talking about "nigga" moments in kind of a MTV cartoon video. What is that all about. Its an Adult Swim cartoon geared toward adults but you know children are watching this. I stopped to watch the cartoon and the "nigga" word was said throughout the cartoon. I can't make my point more clearly. I am Caucasian and I am deeply offended by these lyrics/words and cannot believe that it is somehow alright for a black person to listen to this much less condone it. Why is the “N” word a term of endearment to a black person? Someone please enlighten me. Why does 200 years of slavery that you are so far removed from (over 100 years) justify the use of this terminology or any other words that inspire a culture of hatred? That is the Simple truth that I don’t believe in any way, I am Oversimplifying...

Coffee Addicts and Water Hogs

OK, I've had enough of Starbucks everywhere and everywhere, and everywhere....they're even in the pantry @ homes everywhere. What is it with coffee drinkers and their willingness to pay $4 or $5 for a cup of brown water. I understand addiction and I have to admit that I am a soda pop addict myself but for heaven's sake even I won't buy a soda that costs more than a 93 cent 44 oz refill @ the Quick Trip. Its a REFILL too. I am even thinking that is too much sometimes. I have been using the same cup for a couple of years now. I am not adding to the waste that might otherwise be generated if I got a new soda container each time I was Jones-ing for a jolt of caffeinated carbonated water....OK, in a restaurant with food of any kind a soda might be as much as $2.00, and I am told you can pay as much as $2 for a cup of coffee @ a Denny's or something. Even there however, you get endless refills both on Sodas and the cup of Joe. OK...but people what gives with these $4 coffee drinks, its ridiculous. I have to admit also that I am the furthest thing from an aficionado of coffee but come on...use your Mr. Coffee or your French Press to get a cup of the brown stuff and if you have to put a little milk in it, do it like this...I can make frothy milk by passing it back and forth thru my teeth 1st then spit it into my cup of coffee. Now that's a Latte'!!! This advice could save your cash for something better like a charity of your choice, a house payment, a credit card payment (you've been charging that cup of Starbucks haven't you?) and save your cash....and that goes for you bottled water drinker's too.

I work for an engineering firm, although I'm not an engineer and did you know the water you get from your tap is probably cleaner and healthier than that purchased bottle of H2O! I toured a Wastewater Treatment Plant and was amazed @ the quality of the water that came out treated and back into the river for further drinking water treatment downstream. I could have even drank the treated Wastewater poured back in the river and it would have been better for me than bottled "Spring" water. Read the labels people! If the bottle has P.W.S. (Public Water Source) printed anywhere on the bottle you are paying big money for TAP water. If its Aqua Fina, thank you, you dumb dumbs are making my Pepsico Stock go thru the roof! Oh, your bottled water may be triple filtered and reverse osmosis-ized but if you look carefully and closely into the bottle there is still something floating around in there and the microscopic stuff you don't see passed right thru that filtering process and is now in your body. Next time avoid the pretty labels and ask for an empty cup. Find a tap somewhere and draw yourself a free cup of the good stuff from the nearest drinking fountain, hose, or spigot. Not to mention the empty plastic bottle that goes in the trash afterwards....just like the coffee cups...its so unnecessary...

If you are still Jones-ing for a cup of that Joe, PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE...patronize your local coffee houses and stay away from the Chain stores. If you have to have it, the local store will prosper from your dollars much more than any huge conglomerate chain of stores that are not about the person and more about the logo...

Alright Already! Oui Vey! My Recent Top Ten

Ok, I can see by the clock on the wall (and the calendar)(October)that its been since June of this year that I have made a post to this blog. Well, a lot has happened....too much to write it all out but I can hit the highlights....and in no particular order and nothing extraordinary...well I guess that depends on perspective.

10. I've reconnected with an old friend. These things take time but we've got a solid beginning.

9. Mom's been in and out of the hospital and having procedures to help extend her life. She is in good overall health (don't let this blog fool you) if you don't consider her heart and it has been needing a little help. She is in the best of hands and I have no worries and the faith she will be around for many many years to come.

8. My sister had a job as a mother and housewife got a job in an actual business to earn a paycheck, then left that job for a better higher paying job.

7. I am still on the same job I have had since December 1989 which means I have had the same job for 18 years now. How many of you can say that....and its technically the only job I have ever had in my 42 years, if you don't count the couple of months I worked the Temporary Agency that got me the job that I've had for 18 years now.

6. I've been working on and around my house of 3 years now?.

5. I've been composing a letter (recently dropped in the mail) to hopefully reconnect with a long lost Aunt-type relative, I hope they're receptive.

4. I've seen my Niece and Nephew 2 times in these many months and they are my most precious gift ever.

3. Bought my Mom a garage door opener for her garage and now she doesn't have to open the door anymore by hand....electricity is such a wonderful thing.

2. The best news so far and to almost end with is that I am an adopted child since the age of 6-weeks and I recently received a 7 page list of "non-identifying information about my biological parents and its facinating to read about family I've never known but can feel it in my being. There is something to the Heredity v. Environment stuff. I am happily amazed and so Thankful I was given life.

1. I have secretly won the Lottery, I am about to spring it on my family and friends. It feels so good being set for life.....

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OK Postscript...I had you going on that last one didn't I? Admit it there was a momentary sense of excitement...wasn't there? Sorry about that, I am hopeful something like that will happen in my lifetime but for now I am rich in Faith, Life, Family and Friends. That's the best millions I could ever hope for.
Thanks for checkin' in on me.
Now I am going to tuck myself in and get some rest
Good Night and God Bless!

Aventures In Cat & Dogsitting

Last week I house sat for a friend that has a cat. Her name is Penny and she is deaf and hears by vibration although I wonder if she is truly deaf or not. No matter, she's a cat and a bitch and a slut @ that. She doesn't come around when I come to visit when her family is home. In fact, if she sees me she makes herself scarce....Its a different story though when no one is home though. She's a slut for attention and treats and to go outside. All in all, she's a lovable little thing when she comes around. Well Hmmmm...

I have a couple of other freinds that have 2 dogs one of whom is actually a small man in a dog suit. His name is Simon and he is the most curious of pets and a smart little dog. I have known Simon since he was a mere pup and now a grown Cardigan Corgi. I am thinking he is of 7 years now....that's 49 in people years. OK, do the math and figure it out. They also have another foster/adopted dog named Dusty. She is a smallish herding dog of some type, brownish coat. She is a bit angst-ridden, if that is the right word and they are both obsessively hungry. When they eat (twice a day) they devoured their food as if it were their last meal and they are on their way to the gallows or something or Jerry Springer is about to start and they don't want to miss a moment of the mayhem...anyway, I digress. The dogs are a quirky sort especially what I know of Simon. He will watch TV and i think he understands what he is seeing. Especially, when other animals are on the screen. He talks to you and I can understand his dog speak to a certain extent. He is also a good little cuddler. He has a charge of his own, as well. My friends have an adorable little girl the same age as my nephew (2) and Simon herds her like a hawk sometimes. He always has an eye on her and tells Mom or Dad when Sis is into mischief.

It seems when I am sitting, the dogs try to take advantage my Innocent nature and play me with those sad little doggy eyes. I am not swayed, as I am an old dog aficionado from way back and not fooled easily. They get some treats but not too many. The dogs like ice cubes and that's a non-calorie food and I am sure sharpens their incisors. Do dogs have incisors? Interesting. Hmmmmm.......

Time Away from the Blog...

I'm sorry if anyone has been expecting a post. Its been a while. The Mom's (73) been visiting the Sister (36) Son-in-Law and the Grand kids for the last half of May 2007 and I have been busy around the house fixing things up and going out of town on long weekends. Its been like going to Camp or Vacation Bible School. I still had to work and learn something new but I had fun while doing it. When the Mom returned home her defibrillator went off and now we're going from Cardiologist to hospital to get this thang straightened out. It's also the Spring/Summer Season and I would much rather be outside then in front of my computer. Soooo....I will get back to posting soon. In fact I am working on 3 other new posts simultaneously to this one as we speak.

I Keep Thinking Now I've Heard Everything...Conjugating Verbs...I'm Disgusted!

Alright, in a week of happenings, I have thought to myself before that now I've heard everything but right now skipping thru the channels, I see Dr Kevorkian being released from prison after eight years , Pris Hilton is going back to jail?, the killer of that young woman in Overland Park has been identified, and then on Fox News Channel I see a snip-it of The O'Reilly Factor and a debate over California making a ruling on conjugal visits...visits now extended to, allowed for homosexual prisoners. OK, I love the sinner not the sin but this is a little too far. Although, I have never been in prison or know anyone except my step-brother who has been in prison and..after staying in a Holiday Inn Express last night and after watching the umpteenth episode of Dateline on Child Predators or an MSNBC docu-something on prison life in-depth from the prisoner point of view...I have come to the...I am sure albeit misguided conception (pardon the pun) that its not like the homosexual doesn't get enough action in prison as it is...now he/she has a legal right to conjugal visits...

Here's what I have learned about the word conjugal. The definition of conjugal is: con·ju·gal [kónjəg’l] adj relating to marriage: relating to marriage or to husbands and wives. In addition to this there are con·ju·gal rights defined as: npl right of spouses to sexual intercourse: the rights that husbands or wives are entitled to in a marriage, especially the right to have sexual relations with their spouse. And finally there is the con·ju·gal vis·it: (plural con·ju·gal vis·its) n private visit of prisoner’s spouse: a visit to a jail by the husband or wife of a prisoner, during which the couple is allowed some privacy, for example, to allow them to have sexual relations. By the way since I keep copying these definitions from "Word", I guess I should tell you these definitions are brought to you by: Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. OK, now that's out of the way back to my point.

Although there are a lot of homosexuals in California...I am not aware that the state of California recognizes same sex marriages...but I guess they do recognize the right of domestic partners in co-habitation. Even though that may be true, I am still unclear on how can they make the jump to conjugal visits for homosexual prisoners. All I can say is Wow! I just don't know what else to say. Somebody say something! Any comments from the peanut gallery are welcome...

New Brazilian Saint for the Roman Catholic Church

Friar Antonio de Sant’Anna Galvao, a Franciscan Monk was canonized recently by Pope Benedict XVI and made a Saint. The first Brazilian Saint as a matter of Fact...I am sure there are better articles but here is one from MSN. Also he spoke out about the morays and hedonistic tendency's in our culture today. We should take heed to his words. Click here if you wish to read it.

Also, during this same visit to Latin America the Pope spoke out to Drug Traffickers about the retributions they will someday face in light of their illegal drug dealings to the young and otherwise addicted. We should all take heed and read up on this as well because I feel it is also truth. Again, I am sure there are better articles but if you wish to read more in depth about it you can click here to get the scoop.

What are You wearing....

Recently, I have read several blogger posts, magazine articles, newspaper columns, and Internet searches on the subject of what people are wearing for clothes these days. Several topics I have read are about what is appropriate to wear to church, what is appropriate to wear to work and what to wear on a date or to dinner in a fancy restaurant.

I have an opinion on this topic, especially when it relates to what to wear to church. As I have stated in previous posts, I am a former Protestant who became a Roman Catholic. It was a very personal choice for me and I spent 9 months of Catholic education classes learning about the faith. I appreciate education of any sort and I have to say that if a Protestant church had given me the opportunity of concentrating on what their particular faith was about, I might have remained a Protestant and chosen a different path within the sect. Unfortunately, I searched for months and visited in many faiths, asked many questions of their various leadership, prayed for guidance and did not find the answers that I now have. Ultimately, I believe it was Jesus, my Savior, who was guiding my heart and mind to choose Catholicism and find the Peace I now have.

Oops, back to topic, "What are you wearing to church?"my Mother used to ask me (can't you just hear your own Mom asking something similar in the back of your mind?) when I was younger, back when we went to church that is... If I wasn't wearing a tuck-in-your-pants dress shirt (either short or long sleeved), and a tie, dress slacks with a leather belt, loafers or tie up Florsheim shoes with dark socks and sometimes a jacket or the full on suit on Easter or Christmas...my Mom would first of all holler at me and then proceed to shame me into changing in my "Church Clothes" or Jesus was going to get me for it. In the end, I never went to church unless I dressed up. When I became a teenager and young adult I was consumed with Ralph Lauren Polo, IZOD, Aigner leather belts, ties from Brooks Brothers, French cuff Dress Shirts, and Perry Ellis Dress Slacks. I was very well dressed and attempted to out GQ anyone I thought was looking better than I was. In all those years, during probably all that time, I gave little or no thought to Jesus, either in church or out, because church for me was all about what everyone was wearing, their "Sunday Best" as the term relates. I remember those days, being uncomfortable. Heck, I'm still uncomfortable dressing up...not that I can't out-dress anyone today. Heck, day-to-day I'm dressed better in Jeans and a T-shirt than most people wearing Armani. Why, do you ask? Well, its because of the respect I have for myself. That's right, I have a tremendous respect for myself. This has been a long long road for me and wasn't always so. Today, if I chose to wear a G-string and Tank Tee (formerly inappropriately known as a wife-beater) I would still be respecting myself and you know what...I would expect that same respect from anyone else for wearing it no matter the occasion. Call it a wisdom I have with age, but I have learned that "Clothes Don't Make the Man" its the man alone that matters...

Although, some have written or spoken that certain attire shows disrespect for God, I cannot believe that ultimately, in my heart, God, Jesus, really cares what I am wearing in his presence. I find no dress-code in the Catechism (perhaps I have missed it). I am sure there are passages in the Bible that can be interpreted as a dress code and I respect some one's right to the interpretation, but its just that...an interpretation...If it were spelled out, perhaps I would believe differently. "Where two or more are gathered, I will be there"...is there some hidden meaning that if you're not in a dress shirt and slacks of a poly-cotton blend, God will not be listening to me or allowing me to worship him for all his majesty? I've got some late -breaking news...God is everywhere folks, in everything, all knowing, all seeing. Now, should that not mean that I should be in a necktie, silk underwear and dress pants to mow the lawn, buy some groceries or lay sick in a hospital bed? Is it the building called a church that should compel me to dress up in the eye's of God? Does the Monstrance, the altar, the pulpit, the stained glass windows...require me to dress in a shirt, tie, slacks, and uncomfortable shoes. Is the hot Rayon-Polyester fabric that makes my nether regions sweat, supposed to represent my penance for Sin? Should I be refused communion because my leg hair is exposed? Again, I come back to...Does God really care? I spent my early adult life looking down on people simply because of what they were wearing. If their clothes, weren't good enough for my standards, why on earth would I want to associate, much less even speak to them. They were too poor, or their taste in dress fabric was atrocious. My gosh, did you see the shoes they had on their feet. How shallow was I? How did I ever become the person I am today? I had a turning point on this issue, I just don't remember now where or when? As I said, it is the respect I have for myself...the respect I now have for other's...the respect I have for Jesus Christ, God, my Savior, that compels me. What I wear to worship on a Sunday, Holy Day, or any day is not important. What is is that I am thankful to just be alive, to love God and my fellow man. To spread his word and teach those things that are important in regard to saving one's soul. It doesn't make me any better or any worse than someone else just because of the clothes I choose to cover my body and my God, unless he tells me different, doesn't care either...

Grandma What Big Teeth You Have...

You know its surprising what you plan to accomplish for yourself and for other's when you take a day off work. This weekend was of no surprise or at least I thought not. I had arranged my work schedule to take Friday off because I had a whole laundry list of tasks that I have been wanting to get accomplished. I was planning so many things to get done. First and foremost was to rebuild a block wall in the front of my Mother's house. I spent considerable time last season attempting to complete out-of-doors an entire reconstruction of a stairway wall made of concrete blocks. I was presented with many roadblocks last year and it appears I am to faced with many more to come. The weather dealt me an untimely blow when attempting my latest foray into the world of DIY but the greatest hindrance to my task was a blow struck by my own Mother. Since my Step-father's death I have been a keeper of sorts to anything and everything she needs assistance with...as it should be. However, and unfortunately, I was stopped cold in my tracks in my attempt to fulfill my laundry list this weekend. It seems that my Mother got herself caught up in an identity-theft scheme. That simple act trumped any plans I had laid of mice and men. She wittingly gave some serious identifying information to a caller on the phone. To her credit she believed the man was with the Medicare Administration and to her discredit she should have known better. She worked a career for the Division of Family Services, for heaven's sake. This person, He convinced her to give him her Social Security number (which she claims he already had) and the numbers to her checking accounts as well as some other identifying information. When she told me what had happened, I was dumbfounded and understandably angry that she could have been so foolish. She jeopardized her financial future believing in this voice on the telephone and lost some money to boot, though the bank happily refunded the money she had lost and put barriers in place in case it happened again...which they told us, it would. In fact, to the toon (or is that tune) of thousands of dollars or at least they would try for it and sure enough they did and are. The bank is in the process of tracing the theft...Thank goodness!

To continue...My Mom is not stupid...she is educated, raised a family, survived two husbands nearly suffering a mental breakdown from the divorce of the 1st husband. (Its a long story probably a topic for a future post)...and if it were not for her creative accounting through the years, her sense for business, I remember the early years when should decorate and dress to the nines, and the way she can cook a gourmet meal from a can of tuna, mac & cheese, peas and carrots...my sister and I would not be the successes we are today. Unfortunately, my Mom is a trusting sort and she unwittingly trusted the wrong person. It was this event that derailed any plans I had for my weekend off. I spent an entire work day on the phone with creditors, at the bank, talking to the FTC and the police. I recommend everyone who reads this post goes to the FTC website to read about Identity Theft. You can go directly there if you click here. It has been a frustrating and thankless weekend wasted, well wasted in the sense of my laundry list.

I type this post as a warning to all...please keep an eye and and ear to those you care about whether, friend or relative. Age makes no difference but the aged seem to be victimized in greater numbers. Make it your business to know a little of a friends or relatives business (just in case something like this happens) and warn them of the dangers of people soliciting good tiding at the door or over the phone. Most of all, please make it crystal clear that any personal information that can identify them should remain solely in their head and locked away or put away safely. Reveal it only to those who are the most trusted of individuals. We are still reeling from this debaucle and will for months, if not years to come. Your identifying information should be given to no one unless it is through communication that you initiate and to anyone you have thoroughly checked out. I kid you not, when I mean it can be life shattering...as we have experienced but a momentary glimpse of it.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use some common sense.


• If someone is calling you, ask for a # to call them back. If possible, investigate further before calling back, just to be sure.


• If someone is at the door, listen but don't commit to anything without checking it out later. Get numbers to call, addresses, names, ask for literature they should have.


• If you get something in the mail and don't understand it, show it to someone you trust, get their opinion.


• Don't arbitrarily throw any identifying information in the trash. Shred it, or cut it in tiny pieces.

There are so many do's and don't to remember like I said earlier go to the FTC Identity Theft Website for more information then I can recall here. AND REMEMBER THIS ONE THING, MOST OF ALL...UNLESS ED MCMAHON IS AT YOUR DOOR WITH A BIG FAKE CHECK IN HIS HAND...THE OLD ADAGE IS TRUTH: IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT IS PROBABLY NOT TRUE. Please take the PROBABLY out of the saying... In all my 40 something years when something was too good to be true, in the end it was too good and not true. These old sayings like this keep ringing in my ears and more people should learn from the wisdom of others. I hope you learn something from this post most of all....

What a Weekend!

Wow!, This was a pretty good weekend on the scale of things to do. I had so many activities that I didn't get my normal 12 to 14 hours of sleep on a Saturday. If you know me, you know I am a big sleeper. Even in my 40's I require lots of sleep time. To start my weekend off right, it was payday, hooray! After work i had dinner plans at Jerusalem Cafe' in Westport. It was a very good meal. I went with a friend and we shared the Cafe's Jerusalem Dinner Feast and a dinner order of the Shawaramah Chicken. Man, that was a lot of food for two people. The Baklava to end the dinner was superb. Our waiter was very personable and gave us a free dessert sample that looked like a shredded wheat biscuit and tasted like pistachios and honey. It was delicious. I would highly recommend this restaurant for lunch or dinner. It has menu items for the both the carnivore and the vegetarian. Mmm Mmm Good! If you want to know more about the restaurant you can click here to link you to their website. Like I said good food.

Then after dinner we had tickets to Mannheim Steamroller in the Music Hall. When I normally think of this group I think of Christmas music but I was pleasantly surprised to hear their repertoire of some other modern composition music. I did not realize they combined imagery with the music and some of the photography/short film pieces timed to the music was to say the least interesting. Some of it, I was slightly disturbed by until I realized the titles of the compositions and how I put the two together then it made all made sense. It was a very uplifting experience. To end the night, my friend and I were having a conversation about me seeing anyone I might know there. It seems that almost everywhere I go, I see someone I know...and not just the folks I attend the event with. Its always another friend or acquaintance. This evening was no exception. Whilst, my friend was visiting the ladies room, another friend happened by, actually my Mom's RCIA teacher, who was also her sponsor to the Catholic Church. She was also there to see the Steamroller. My point to this is that it really is a small world. To beat all, as I was waiting for my friend, the nights featured violinist, Jeff Yang was coming into the Music Hall entrance from outside. The Security staff had stopped him, as if he were just some guy coming in without a ticket. He was telling them he was a with the group, I stepped up to tell them he was the violinist of the troupe and they let him in. he shook my hand and thanked me for the trouble. Snap, I forgot to get an autograph...

The next day, I awoke to a very beautiful day. The sun was out and a pleasant breeze was blowing. For some time, I have been wanting the time and energy to re tackle a task I began last spring, I think. Anyway, the block wall in front of my Mom's house needed a reset and this was the day to get it done. Well, I went to Sutherland's and got some of the necessary supplies and I started to redo the wall. It got a little late after time I spent figuring and thinking the project thru and I was late to get ready for a planned dinner Saturday evening. My Uncle and Aunt both had birthday's in March and April and tonight was the night we all planned to kind of celebrate. My Uncle is 85 and my Aunt is much younger....see Aunt Shirley...I learned a long time ago that a lady never reveals her age....at any rate we had dinner at Garozzo's in the Columbus Park neighborhood downtown KC. We like the original the best and always have an enjoyable meal experience and tonight was no exception. It was Prom Night as are most Saturdays ending April and most Saturdays in May and there was lots of little Prom couples dressed in their finest Tuxes and formal gowns for the night. I think Pastels must be the rage this year because I have seen a lot of Easter pastel colored gowns this season and lots of up do's on the young ladies. The tuxes seem to be the same styles for the guys from year to year and lots of black....as it should be. A fella in a colored tux is so 70's, please fellas, please. Anyway, I ate way too much but still had enough for leftovers at least one if not two additional meals. Wow! now that's Italian.... To end the evening, I had planned to attend a housewarming/congratulations party among work friends at a friends new house. I am sure it was a great time and will get all the scoop Monday but something had to give and it was late, I would have been late to the party (too late to catch up on my drunk, (just kidding)) so I headed for the comforts of home, my TV and my couch. Although, this is a typical evening for me anyway, most nights I have to get up for work the next day. There is nothing like spending time on the couch not having to worry about getting up the next morning to go anywhere or do something.

Ahhh, Sunday arrived and to also a beautiful day. A bit overcast but the temp was up and it was a good day. I of course went to Mass, then came home changed in to some comfort clothes and spent some more time on the couch, napping into oblivion. I did a couple of things outside and just relaxed. I love those kind of days and look forward to many, many more. If I could just win the lottery or something. I could make a career out of relaxing that is for sure. I hope everyone else had just as good a weekend as I did. Now its off to bed again to sweet dreams and another week @ work. See Ya...

Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes...

Someone once said (and I would like to know who said it) "that there is nothing certain but Death and Taxes". Unfortunately and ironically, I have to say that both of these things are true today. As today is April 17th, 2007...today is the final date for you to submit both your State and Federal 2006 U.S. Tax returns...if you forgot that this year you get a couple of extra days because April 15th fell on a weekend day, that is... Tax returns are due and should be postmarked before 12:00 midnight tonight! So if you still have not gotten your taxes done, 1st of all Wow! How brave of you to push the envelope, so to speak. 2nd, you better get busy and stop reading this blog...I mean it! If you need some assistance you can go to the IRS website by clicking here. Good luck!

I hate to brag about it but I got my Taxes done in February and I've already gotten by refunds back. I actually got a refund, now that's incredible. At any rate, if you haven't finished, like I said quit reading and get to it!

This is also a date that the certainty or should I say uncertainty of death has again made the headlines. Unfortunately, another school shooting has lead to the greatest loss of life in the U.S. in recent history surpassing that even of Columbine High School so many years ago. For those killed in Blackburn Virginia at Virginia Tech College, please join with me and take a moment of our busy lives to pray, to God or whatever higher power you believe, for the innocent young people taken from their families and friends in such a senseless manner. Also, pray for the young man who apparently, allegedly, perpetrated this horrible crime. He had to be experiencing such great pain to inflict harm of this magnitude. Although, I used find it hard to do, someone such as this needs my prayers just as much as those whose lives the young man apparently took. Finally we should pray that senseless violence like this will cease. We all need to remember to open our eyes and ears and hearts to people like this in need and in such unrecognizable pain. If I ever remotely suspect someone I know is in such pain, I know that after today, I can never turn a deaf ear, heart or mind to any pain that person may be in. I will find some way to get them the help they need to avoid another senseless tragedy like that that happened yesterday to so many. As I said, take a moment of your day to lift up your thoughts and/or prayers to remember those who lost their lives. Remember also their families, friends and loved ones who lost someone to such a senseless act.

Iraq or Back

OK, for those of you that know me...know that I have a political opinion but in the same breath that it really disgusts me to discuss politics. That being said, I have to comment on events that happened today in Iraq. Apparently, according to news reports, there was a suicide bomber allowed to enter Iraqis Parliament buildings and detonate in or around a busy cafeteria killing at least 8 people and injuring many others. The bomber, of course, could not be identified because they were obviously blown to bits. According to news reports, the bomber was mis-identified as a body-guard for an Iraqi official and allowed to access key areas where they could inflict serious damage. The crocks to this event is that this happened in an area known as the "Green Zone"...an area totally controlled by US and...I use the term loosely "coalition" forces. What happened to Security? Why was not everyone stripped searched before they enter this "area" or at least patted down. I thought before this incident that there would be multiple areas of searching, body cavity poking, questioning before entering...such a powerfully identified "zone". A failure to communicate no longer cuts it with me. Accidents don't happen anymore!

I have to say that I felt angry when I read that this had happened. Angry because this area is supposed to be the most heavily fortified, policed, searched and stable area in Baghdad, if not the whole of Iraq. I want to know what went wrong here. I think this is finally my straw.

I would like someone to tell me what exactly are we doing there? In what way is this benefiting me as an American? I am tired of the touchy-feely emotions of helping a downtrodden and suppressed peoples...Its just not reason enough anymore. As an American I want something in my hand or my pocket to show for all of this. To beat all, I am from the Show Me State so Show Me.... I have never felt from even the 1st Gulf conflict that Iraq and Saddam Hussein was somehow a threat to me and my country. He was a piddly little man that did a lot of very horrendous things, no worse than those in Darfur, Sierra Leone, Liberia, or Croatia just to name a few. Quite frankly, I have always felt much more ill-at-ease if not down right frighted by the Dictator in charge of North Korea and his country's definite possession of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and his defined ability to actually destroy a significant part of my homeland. I never felt a threat from anyone in Iraq.

For Jiminy-Cricket sake, the forces of Iraq didn't even put up a fight when we invaded, the 1st or this last time. I have always thought that if there was all these weapons that Saddam used on his own countrymen, why then did he not use them on the invasion forces? What exactly did the man have to loose by not using them on us for invading his country? If he could kill his own countrymen why not the invasion forces in the country? Instead, I am asked to believe that he shipped them off to Syria to "hide" them. Did the thousands of invasion forces only cause him to think that his vision of a perfect country was going to continue? Did the bombs of destruction we used to take over the country not say to him...now is the time to fight back? Oh no, he says to himself, I have to hide these weapons...not use them to kill. If I had these kinds of weapons at my disposal and my home was invaded, I sure would have used them to kill mine enemies...let me tell you! and without hesitation...and that is just another reason I have all these questions...and no answers. Its been long enough, show me the pictures, let me see for myself the writings, the documents, the testimonies , lets go to the video tape...that give me definite concrete reasons for the current conflict. Can you read the frustration I feel?

I ask again, how exactly am I going to benefit from this invasion, war, whatever... Is Iraq going to become the Disneyland of the Mid-East for me? Is it going to become a gentrified vacation spot with some of the best food and drink around? Am I going to get free gasoline because Iraq possesses more oil then even Saudi Arabia under its soils? Am I going to get a free camel with free food to feed it for life? What about free woven Persian rugs? What...........exactly............am I going to get from this action? How is it going to first and foremost...financially or physically benefit me? How am I going to monetarily profit from this action? I don't go to work everyday for the glorious feeling of contributing to society...I have to earn a paycheck that pays for my way of life. So again and again, I ask and I ask...how does this make my life better? Unfortunately, the idealism of the betterment of mankind doesn't keep the roof over my head, the gas in my car, or food in my fat gut. Let's all forget for a moment about freeing a slaven peoples. That reason is not even close enough for justification in my eyes. Because...there are so many other peoples across the globe that are suppressed or held captive or killed by dictators or madmen. There are so many millions killed and maimed that I keep asking myself why this particular country...and not all the others? What is so special? That b.s. about other parts of the world being upheld through diplomacy and not thru force is just that B.....S......people are still dying for their freedoms or lack thereof all over the globe and Americans can't save the world but maybe, just maybe, save the cheerleader....because if we save the cheerleader we save the world...
(Heroes-a TV Show, NBC reference..google it).

Those of you that know me, know that my Brother-in-law is a dedicated member and career Officer in our Armed Forces. I have Parents, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins and Friends that have either served in the military or are very supportive of the Troops that serve for us. I count myself among them. I want everyone to know that I support and defiantly respect those that serve for me...to my core. They are doing me the greatest service of protecting me and the country I call home. This is not just lip-service. I could never find fault with those that serve. They serve for me as I could not. I would not want anyone to believe that by my questioning the actions of my government, that I somehow disapprove of a service member protecting me and my way of life. That, for me, is unquestionable. A service member first and foremost is doing what they are trained and told to do. Said service members may believe they are doing what is right for our country and I respect their right to that opinion. They may also question the validity and authority but because of their duty, they follow orders to serve and protect in disregard for their personal politics. You can't pay anyone a greater respect than that.

It is in this instance, I disagree not with the service members serving but with the powers that be above those that serve, those that are running my country. In the end, I want to know the real reasons for this conflict. I reiterate again and finally the question that comes to my mind constantly....How exactly this is "war" benefiting me financially and fiscally. Day to day I have to earn money, pay my bills, buy groceries to eat, fill my gas tank, etc. Whether we want to admit it or not one thing directly affects and effects the other. The bill is coming due and is the warm feeling of do-goodness in my belly enough to justify the cost of it all? Not for me...my parents always told me you don't get something for nothing and I am tired of my country paying the price. At least, could I get a year's supply of free gas or something???

I welcome comments one and all....thanks for reading. Like I said a while back, can read the frustration in my being?

Is It Church or Holy Days That Draw Us Nearer to God?

In case I haven't said it, I am a former Protestant turned Catholic

(9 years strong) and I have spent another meaningful Holy Week exploring my faith. Each successive season I find myself getting closer and closer to my Savior. Don't get me wrong, I am not a holier-than-thou type. I am a true and born sinner, I fight and resist sin as much as I am humanly able, through it all I still find failure and sin but I learn from my sins and I strive for perfection realizing that I may sin again. Hopefully, it will not be the same sin, however.

I don't wish to sound preachy but during this past Holy Week and I found myself joyful to see all the people and on the same token sad...to see all the people. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday brought a multitude of people to church to listen to God's message for each of us. Like I said, I looked around and saw many faces that I have never seen before. The church overflowed with people. Ushers asked the congregates to get to know your neighbor and snuggle up to make more room for the multitude there to worship. I have my own reasons that I attend church beyond what that says we are supposed to and I often wonder, I sometimes ask, what draws others to attend church services? During this week I kept the thought about all these other's that I had never seen. I pose the question to ask if all these people only attend church on a religious holiday? It makes me sad to wonder why it is so difficult to attend church regularly and does someone feel better for having attended church once or twice a year? I make a solid effort, scratch that...I look forward to attending a Mass. I get so much from the Bible readings, the Psalms and the Gospels and most of all partaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus who died for my sins.

During this Holy Week I felt moments of sadness when I was crowded in the pew by souls I had never seen before. The thought crossed my mind again that they were just there because of the Easter Season....which brings me back to the other side of the coin. In the end I was joyful that so many filled the church to hear God's message for us...and remember...The Season is not over. Its not just the Resurrection, the Easter Bunny, a few colored eggs, a big dinner and Easter is over over. There's another 15 days of the Easter Season celebration ahead of us. Remember that! I can only hope, pray and look forward to seeing more faces next Sunday that aren't so unfamiliar....Happy Easter To All!

A Shared Experience

Well, what a beautiful Sunday. It is Palm Sunday 2007 and I even got up really early to go to church this morning. As it turns out I made the best choice to do just that. Although, today's service was a little extra long... I always get a thrill from the reading of "The Passion of Christ"...and we sang one of my favorite Hymns..."Were You There". Sometimes I cannot help but shed tear thru some of these songs because they really move me. This particular Sunday's service always moves me to do something.

Today it moved me to get a Tattoo...well not actually but I did get a Tattoo. I have been talking with a few friends @ work and several of us decided to all get tattoos. We each had one reason or another for doing it and it just seemed like something to do. If we had to do it individually we probably would not consider it but there is something different when a group chooses to do something together. We actually decided last Thursday to go to the Tattoo Parlor (Purgatory Tattoo in Independence) and just go for it. Well, as in all things time is of an essence and let me tell you there was a stream of people coming and going...on a Thursday evening, no less. We all got there around 5:30 after work and there was a wait...Some of us already had designs in mind others had to search the books. At any rate, time got the best of us and all of us could not get Tattooed all at once. Soooo...those of us left met today, Palm Sunday to get the work done.

I have been thinking of a tattoo since my Father died back in 1993 when I was 27. Then again when I was thirty, and I was bound and determined to make my 40th the year...well I'm not sure why...but I didn't. Today made up for all of that. Obviously, this is not an art form for everyone and some artwork is more tasteful than others but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I beheld a Scorpion. This is the Zodiac sign for my birth month and something I have always considered. The Artist who drew and inked mine is I believe..just that, an Artist. Most of these guys and gals have a natural talent for design and although there is no Culinary Academy to teach this fine art. They learn thru doing...an apprenticeship if you will, and I appreciate the talent it takes. I am really amazed at the beauty of the detail work done by Jason (whom I would recommend...if you are considering). He did 3 or 4 of us and we are all pleased with his work. Again, Thanks Jason...

As I said, I truly was going to get this done at my milestone birthday but didn't and since we were all talking about it @ work, I thought why wait....and I am more than glad that I got this tattoo. It didn't really hurt, I got the tat on my ankle, and the color is of course, blue. I will now have a better memory of this event because I did something with a group of friends. and had some laughs and good times thru our shared experience. After all, and this is the moral of my story....this is or at the very least should be what our lives are about. Our lifes' are the sum of our experiences and those that are shared are all the more sweeter. I am sure this is a quote by someone else more famous or profound than I. I would quote them if I knew who it was because it sounds like a great thing to say and if I am the one who said it to begin with then perhaps 100 years from now I'll be in a book of famous quotes, Yea!!!. Or does it sound familiar because that is just what life should be about and its a part of all of us, our experiences shared....

Faith and Forgiveness

I've been thinking a lot about my faith and forgiveness lately. I seem to be surrounded by talk of forgiveness in everything around me. I hear it in church(the Prodigal Son...). I read about it a magazine article. I see it in the media. I overhear talk amongst friends at a nearby table, I am assuming they are friends and not strangers...since they share the table. I get an epiphany or "aha" moment from movie tag lines. I get a phone call from a far away friend I fell out of friendship with. I talk with a priest, my Mom and my Sister about it. I email a catholic website asking for some clarification. It just seems to be a message of forgiveness all around me.

In fact, unless I am getting the messages all wrong, I feel this entire Liturgical Season, has been a liturgical message of Faith and Forgiveness. It seems every cyclical year has a theme and Forgiveness seems to me to be the message this year. Am I just listening for it each week in the readings and Psalms? Am I subconsciously reading it between the lines of a good news article, listening for it on the radio? Have I seen it in a movie or my daily life? I don't think so...

I have gotten some wonderful advice lately, I've been truly listening with my heart, and processing it all thru my gut, and finally letting it all soak into my brain. I hope my soul and the spirit within me will show me how to proceed...

I have a purpose for this lament. As I said, I've been putting some thought into Forgiveness for myself and for others, what Forgiveness actually is and the processes involved. I have let myself be hurt by so many things in my life, I let the hurt fester and didn't learn from it, at first. In fact, years ago it caused me to question my direction in life. Through it all I have become a better human being in many ways. I rarely give pause to the events thru my life that changed so many things about me, except to say that I have learned to be a better person, hopefully. I pray. I do works, where appropriate I share my faith with others. The hurt I once felt has been replaced with understanding and happiness. I am still human however, I get angry, I overreact, I suffer, I feel pain but when something new hurts me, after I get the human emotional attributes out of the way, I eventually learn something from it. Its not always something good but I learn and hopefully the next time will have better tools to deal with similar situations. Today, I am happier than I ever been in my life. I have chosen a wonderful religion and get more from church than I ever have in my life. I have a wonderful network of friends, family and people who are just happy to be around me and you know that's what life's all about....almost. There is a list of other things to consider but that's a good start.

Back to this thing about forgiveness, after all that's what this drawn out blog is all about. In my heart, I want to be forgiving and to be forgiven for so many things. I am not sure how far back I have to go. I hope I don't have to make a list like that Thursday night show about a guy named Earl fixing his bad Karma but I don't want to be at the Pearly Gates working these things out in order to enter, you know...my priest will be a good start to ask about how far back I have to go, he is the foremost expert in this field and I should trust him and his guidance.

In conclusion, I have been blessed with some very insightful advice from so many others. In all things I feel very blessed. If you have anything to add, please do...that's why I'm writing this particular blog. So thanks ahead of time for any words of wisdom that you have to share....

The Dead Sea Scrolls Trip Revived from the Dead!!!

Yea! I got re-inspired to rewrite my thoughts, although they are not originally what I had written about my Scrolls experience its an acceptable substitute. I was writing an email to a friend and realized everything I wrote to him, I could enter in my blog. The email I was writing inspired me to replace something of what I lost before I remembered the age old computer know how to save, save, save, and save again...anyway here it is...enjoy!

I had a group of 31 people and that in itself was a challenge. I met it with some ease and will probably undertake something like that again when the right event happens. I hope everyone had a great time...

The Dead Sea Scrolls was fantastic. I felt the Union Station did a good job with the exhibit and I was surprised that they did such a good job. Although, the Titanic was also very good, so I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised. There were a couple of people with special needs and I noticed one eased in nicely and the other could have had their needs better met....but the security is there for a reason, what you can and cannot take with you is all about safety for the exhibit contents...that being said, I was amazed like a little kid, at what I saw. I read scrolls that were undoubtedly the earliest written form of Scriptures found. I was amazed to read the Ten Commandments, Genesis, and the Psalms, etc. The scrolls that are commentaries were amazing to read, as well. It was like the Newsweek or Time of its day...are they too liberal or conservative? I'm not into that so you tell me..it just for example. Reading, basically articles on Isaiah or Job...What people 1000 years ago thought of the scriptures and to write it out, wow!!! what a find indeed. I particularly like the books of Job and the Psalms (they are particular favorites); also Deuteronomy, Genesis, and Isaiah, to name a few were represented. The Apocryphal Scrolls mentioned the coming of the "Son of the one Most High" or the "Son of God." I find it interesting to note the reverence the peoples placed on the "name" of God. They never actually referred to "God" by name and even went so far as to write the "One Most High" in a different script or font if you will, to set if off from the rest of the text. That was fascinating to me.

There was a time line in the exhibit that showed what was going on around the world during the time of the scrolls, for example the Chinese inventing gunpowder. It was fascinating, have I said that enough? There were Psalms found, I think there were 250 or more new Psalms that no one ever new existed before this find. I hope that Bedouin boy from 1947 is still out there somewhere and someone finds him and hails his accidental find...all but for a lost goat or was that sheep? We would have not known this life changing part of our human history.

I also appreciated the archaeological finds of the culture of the people. Pieces of cloth, a lice comb, Fruit dates, cookware and dinnerware, the coinage of the time and the city dig itself. There is even an effort to take the actual lice found in the lice combs and extract DNA to see where the people actually came from, who they were (that’s DNA from the human blood ingested by the 1000 years old lice, that is). Isn’t technology wonderful? Sometimes it’s a great thing, sometimes not. In the end it was all good, great even. I would highly recommend this exhibit as a possible once in a lifetime thing. I wouldn’t miss it if it interests you.

Dead Sea Scrolls

Well, I had this great post of my adventures viewing the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit @ Union Station in Kansas City today and I navigated away by mistake and lost all my great thoughts I had put down....darn this computer. Oh well, now I'm discouraged....I should remember to save, save save....

The Exhibit is @ Union Station in Kansas City until May 13th 2007. If you miss it there it is moving on the San Diego California after that...Darn, I am kicking myself. I had so many great insights about the scrolls and how they related to us today...%$@!%^&*(%$#! I wish I could figure out a way to get it all back.....I'm sad now...goodnight.

Just another day in the neighborhood!

Well, there is always a beginning and so therefore go I, letting my fingers to some talking. This is the first of many sporadic posts. I don't have any particular agenda, but I am sure my thoughts might be considered controversial by some or maybe not, let's explore my thoughts together and see. I'm not always right and I am willing to be corrected. That's what makes for conversation and builds my knowledge base. I have a couple of friends that blog a bit more than I will, so I may cut and paste some of their comments here. Then it can be something we all can discuss...

Anyway, for now this is my 1st post so into the void I go. Here I come, ready or not!