Independence Day

I would like to take this moment to give thanks to those that have done nothing for this country. To the people that have not served in the military, who complain about government, the society around them and have taken advantage of it all but have given nothing back. To those that have the support the troops bumper stickers, given to wounded warrior, or a petty tithe to their church on Sunday.

Your leader in the WH, is a prime example of this set. Draft dodger, tax evader, whoremonger, taker. Now destroying a country that he has done nothing for but has taken advantage of his entire life. His disciples worship his lifestyle and are blind to his evil ways. Even if slightly aware are quick to forgive or turn a cheek.

With this, our society has been corrupted to brink of no return, with alt-right gaining a foothold in spreading hate, with the treatment of innocent children coming to this country, with the setback of women's rights, the evangelism of the Supreme Court. It will take many many years, even decades, to undo the damage done by this man, his administration, and his supporters.

And for what end? That I do not have an answer. Personal gain for a select few, with an empty promise to so many for their allegiance. Many a despot has done this and it is now happening here, but we have learned nothing from previous similar situations.

Happy Independence Day

The Couch

So how fucked up do you have to be to have your therapist cancel twice and then quit altogether on you?

I was hesitant to go in the first place, and now this is not really helping after just one visit. This was supposed to help with the stress, not add to it, or at least that is what I thought how it was supposed to work.

My reticence about going in the first place was, that I would share what was or what I believe was creating the stress (we will talk about this word in a minute) and they would tell me of course anyone with that going on will be anxious. In other words, "normal" (whatever that is) and there was nothing wrong (you are not crazy). BTW, I was correct and that was what was conveyed during the first and only visit so far, but at the same time they said that I need to work on "me." So another appointment was set up, along with a weeks worth of homework.

Homework completed (yep I am that guy). Appointment cancelled. Appointment rescheduled, appointment cancelled. Appointment rescheduled, notified that counselor no longer can see me.

I liked the person I was seeing, I felt we had connected. I shared, we talked, I asked questions (a...lot...of...questions), they answered. I liked most of their responses. It was pointed out that I would be a challenge because they thought I was very intelligent and that I approached everything from a logical point of view and expected outcomes and answers every time. I told them my academia background is in science and engineering. That is when they mentioned that I used the word "stress" a lot and while used as a layman's term in psychology, it was more of an engineering term (I am still going to use the term stress, no matter what).

The thing I liked from my session on the couch (actually a chair and not all that comfortable) was I was there for "mental health" not because I was mentally sick, just that I needed to get my brain in a more positive place and reduce the physical effects of the stress.

So I guess I am scheduled to start anew with another therapist, we will see if I can defeat this one.

<I found writing this post therapeutic>

Prom?

I guess creative, elaborate ways are a thing for asking people to prom (on top of the outrageous expense these days).

I have seen many on social media and a few in person of the way today's youth ask each other to prom. I guess it takes a lot of courage and self confidence to go "crazy" in public in popping the question. You are either going to be embarrassed and humiliated, put the person on the spot and pressure them into maybe responded otherwise, or it works out for everyone...not sure if I could do it.

My marriage proposal was not that extravagant, it was funny and rememberable, but not grandiose. This may explain why I am divorced, I didn't go large enough, and if I am every stupid enough to get married again (I hope I learned my lesson) I guess I have to go bigger next time...

Elderly Care for Beginners

Taking care of aging parents is something that many of us are doing or will be facing very soon. With the rising costs of assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, it is prohibitive to just ship mom or dad off to a facility.

I am currently taking care of parent that is aging and has health issues associated with the elderly. Recently I have had to deal with several situations where quick thinking help was needed and I found myself only slightly prepared. So I think that there should be some kind of class or classes at the local Rec or Community Ctr or as part of the local hospital services that train people advanced first responder knowledge of dealing with the elderly at your home.

I even have a name for the course...."How to Get Mom Off the Floor"

The course will be broken down into various helpful units, some with great medical background and others with sound advice dealing with social areas. The following is a quick list (in no particular order) of some of the units or sub-units that should or need to be included.

• I fallen and can't get up, so what is next...
• Stopping excessive bleeding while on blood thinners
• Pill organization
• Taking the car keys away
• Keeping your patience when answering the same question for 100th time today
• Advocating and getting information out of medical professionals in terms you understand
• Checking vital signs and what to look for.
• Balancing their life with yours and vice versa
• Stain removal
• Remembering all the names of the EMS personnel
• How to make bland tasteless meals that are easy to chew
• Basic lifesaving skills
• How to install safety rails  and other safety measures around the home
• How to initiate a Siver Alert

I am sure there are many other topics that are needed and can be added.

Anyone have an idea if one of these training classes already exist and how I enroll, or is anyone willing to help me get this started...willing to share the credit, let me know.

Russian Collusion

There are some that don't think that Russia has infiltrated America society, whether through the elections, our infrastructure, or even our social media. Me personally knows that it has been done and I have proof.

Working in and out of a middle school, I have notice that the kids are starting to dress with that Russian mafia style. You know, the Adidas track suit with the matching Adidas sneakers. Watch or google any Russian mafia member and they all have the same look.

Some of the kids are even starting to bring the Kangoo hat back, too. If that is not solid evidence that our society has not been hacked by the Russians, I don't know what else you could be looking for.

The collusion is real.

5th Grade Libertarians

A writing assignment in 5th grade is to write a poem or essay with the following prompt...

"If I was in charge of the world..."

Reading through the works I have concluded most 5th graders are Libertarians (which is not surprising as most Libertarians have a thought process that is on the 5th grade level).

Here are the most common things ( and they seem to fit the Libertarian platform) that the 5th graders would do if they were in charge;

• No Homework
• No Medical Shots
• No Vegetables
• No Taxes

I know...you are trying to make the inference to Libertarianism, so let me help.

Homework is just the government led schools forcing regulation and squashing freedoms on the everyday person. Also Libertarians like low educated people and homework just advances critical thinking and gains of knowledge.

Medical shots once again forcing regulation on the populace.

Vegetables are just taking away their freedom or individual rights violations.

Taxes, well not sure what 5th graders know about taxes, pretty sure this is over heard conversations from their parental units, but we will go with that the government is stealing their parents money and if their parents had more money, they would be allowed to buy more things and everyone knows this is good for the free market.

The other thing I noticed was that none of them would do anything for the less fortunate. Not one said anything about helping society. I think this was the most telling thing that made 5th graders Libertarians. Libertarians are a me first oriented bunch, that as long as they get theirs, no body else matters.

Lets hope some get into those liberal slanted academia institutes and become woke...

Another Milestone Post

So starts another year, as this blog did a number of years ago...

Since then I have posted 200+ times and the blog has been visited 5000+ times. Not bad for a blog of nonsense and mutterings. People are intrigued by my loosely fact checked opinions and what is going on in my mind. Suckers...

So here is to another year and thanks for the continuing support...

Happy Holidays

Seasons, Herb

Another Addition of Brain Smatterings

I had a conversation with a fellow blogger and she reminded me that I have not been blogging enough, so here is a conglomerate of things rattle around in my head...(I hope you are happy)

• HBM and Beard update: still have both, just trimmed everything even though I want it all longer and better. Just started to wax the 'stache again, even did a new run of homemade wax. Beard is now long enough that I really have to pay attention when eating food that requires no utensils or I am eating the beard too
• Frustrated with getting communication established with my daughter's school. I may be separated by distance, but that does not mean I am not active in her life. Do your job, because I am definitely going to try my best to make you do it.
• The country I am living in is going down fast, we have no strong leadership, and they are supported by people that are not awake enough to see what is happening. 
• Racism and bigotry is still alive, it is just now out of the closet once again. And I have friends that want to defend it via the 1st amendment. Maybe you people need to also look at the 5th and STFU, just saying...
• I bought a bicycle. This summer I have made a valiant effort of getting back into shape, round is a shape BTW, and have been good about getting out and exercising. I have tried running, but the knees are just not into it (too many years of officiating and long seasons of plate work), add in that I am over weight and old (once again too many years of plate work). So let me see if I remember how to ride a bike...what is that old colloquial?

'Nuff for now, until next time...

Traveling Observations Part Two

So yesterday turned a much longer day then I could ever imagine, and something I will remember until senility sets in. Without further ado here is some more of my travel escapades...

• After arriving in Denver 3 and 1/2 hours late, I was lucky enough to be put on another flight to Aspen. It was delayed due to weather in the Aspen area. Once we were allowed to board, we ended up sitting on the tarmac for an additional 90 minutes of wait time, while they unloaded 40+ bags of luggage and rebalanced the weight on the plane. Once airborne we took the 26 minute hop to Aspen, but the weather has changed again and visibility was about nil. The pilot made an attempt to touchdown, but could not get a visual of the runway so the try was aborted. I am not one to worry about flying but I was nervous, his pull-out game was strong, and we did some aerobatics to get out of there without crashing into any peaks all the while flying practically blind through snow clouds (yes you actually see sprarkly crystals like glitter inside the clouds). We made another nerve wrecking run and once again scrapped the mission and headed back to Denver. Of course the flight that was scheduled after us left first and was one of two of the nine  daily flights that actually landed in Aspen yesterday...
• All the other flights to Aspen, were either cancelled or booked (none made it by the way), United decided to bus us to Aspen at 6:00pm. Usually this is a 3, 3 1/2 hour ride (but the weather predicted it was likely to take about 5 hours), we met the storm just outside of Denver that was preventing us from landing in Aspen. This turned into a 10+ hour tour, that included 15-20 mph speeds and treacherous road conditions the majority of the way. Including a slow motion bus accident. And when I say slow motion, I mean both buses were completely stopped and the one bus slid sideways into ours. This held us up an additional hour and forty five minutes waiting for a wrecker to separate us and get a small repair to get us on our way again. From there it still was an insane 3 hour ride from the Vail area to a closed Aspen airport.
• By the time I arrived at Aspen at 4:30 am, all the local buses were shut down and not scheduled to start for another few hours, and then it would be an hour bus ride down valley to Glenwood Springs. I sweet talked the bus driver from Denver who was going to Glenwood Springs for some rest at a cheaper hotel than what is found in Aspen for a ride. So after getting everyone unloaded and back on the road for another hour long trek to my daughter.

Total travel time with the time zone changes was 30 hours door to door from my house to my daughter, total sleep time during that trip...90 minutes.

Travel Observations

While I have a layover might as well pontificate on the "joy" of travel...

• I got through TSA still wearing my stainless steel watch, oops.
• The restrictions for air travel do not allow for survival if the plane crashes on a deserted tropical island ala Lost.
• United forgot to plug in the heater and the water and sewer lines froze.
• While defrosting and flushing that fun time, the hook got wet and froze to the plane...final result 2 and 1/2 hour delay and missed connection.
• Got later flight, but may be cancelled due to weather...

Look for more updates

An Open Letter to Mr. Kaepernick

Dear Mr. Kaepernick (and others in the NFL)

How dare you exercise your first amendment rights in a peaceful manner. If you want to continue your protest of the unfair, unjust, and uncivilized treatment of minorities in this country, you need to take it to the streets (just not my street, it is quiet and idyllic, and needs to remain that way). We need to see looting, riots, and confrontations with authority. This passivity of not standing or kneeling during the playing of a symbolic song is unpatriotic. Millions of true patriots have placed flags outside their houses, put stickers on their cars (I support the troops), and expressed outrage at their government (thanks Obama), so you have no right to protest what they have built with the jingoism they have expressed (god bless America).

If you want to be a real patriot, you need to take note of the actions of real Americans like the Bundys. They have taken government subsidies, used government land for their own personal ends, taken up arms against a tyrannical government, and taken over government property in their protest. That is how true loyalists operate.

Mr. Kaepernick, your non-aggressive sissy approach is just not the American way of doing things. Man up and physically get into someone's face, the least you could do is make hate speeches against certain sects of people in an attempt to make this country great again.

So stop making us feel uncomfortable when we try and relax and take in some football, no one deserves to feel unsafe or threatened in any way, no matter what team we are on or root for....

Sarcastically yours,
Herbert Bush

I See What You Did There...Well Played.

I just wanted to take a few minutes and point out a couple of things that are happening but you may not be aware of it.

• Everyone always goes to the store and tries to find a place as close to the entrance as possible because we are basically lazy. But has anyone observed where they place the cart return corrals in the parking lot? That is right, further out in the lot so you have to walk (if you are playing nice and actually return the cart to safe place and care for the protection of others vehicles) some distance from your lucky spot close to the entrance. Forcing us to get exercise whether we want it or not.
• I recently had to update my "smartphone", along with going back into a two year contract in order to get a nifty pocket computer. Part of the upgrade included some wicked cool apps, but they expire unless I feel like continuing them at a "small" nominal monthly fee. One of those features is Caller ID, are you serious, that was once a regular feature on most modern phones and included as part of a package of features (call waiting, three way calls, speed dial, etc...) that normally come with any phone service. Now we have to pay extra for this feature...first of all, I usually don't answer the phone if I do not recognize the number and sometimes will choose to ignore a call even if I do recognize the number. So without the Caller ID, I guess I will be letting all the calls go directly to voicemail. BTW, I can also pay for an extra feature that will read my texts and type out my voice mails into text messages, no thanks. At least I still get unlimited calls and texts, but I am sure we will be going back to roaming charges soon as no one actually talks on their cell phones.

I did a cool feature at no extra charge, the new smart device has new setting for when I am driving similar to airplane mode, except it replays with a programmed message that tells the caller/texter that I am driving and will return any messages or calls once I am in a safe and convenient place. 

Just Like That, It Was Gone

I had (key word is 'had') what I thought was a great post in my head yesterday. But I was too busy to stop and write it down. Didn't even jot down some simple notes; let alone scribble the whole premise on a piece of scrap paper.

This morning woke up and can't remember what it was at all, not even the topic.

Maybe it never existed at all and I only think I had something to write about. But I remember doing this a number times before, a few times the thought has seeped back to me, so maybe I will get lucky and it will return. I am blaming old age and the early onset of senility.

So in the mean time here are some random brain musings, quick before I forget them...

• I found my old shaving mug with soap and boars bristle brush, trying to decide if I should pack it or not. Currently I have no use for it, as I am 'stached and bearded, but this may not last forever.
• The weather has been good so far this summer, no prolonged heat waves yet, could use some more rain for the gardens, hope it holds for when I have to travel.
• Yesterday I shopped at three different places, all three transactions ended in even dollar amounts (50.00, 11.00, and 24.00), not sure what the harbinger of that is...
• Struck the nerve of someone I respect the other day. Not sorry that I did it, sometimes something needs to be said, and based on the reaction, what I said bothers them too. I do feel cheap that I went there, but they were trying to pin me in a corner, so the animal instinct kicked in and I used it.

Well here is to that other post idea coming back to me, Cheers

Overheard

I took my mother (and daughter) out for lunch today and overheard (actually forced as they were talking so loud) a conversation between two older women. They seemed to have solved all the local, state and federal issues with the exception for a few.

One of them understands that there is a huge data warehouse in Utah that has collected and stored all the texts, emails, and electronic communications. The positive thing is that the government does not have the capability to 'sift' through it, so no one is paying attention to what is being transmitted. But maybe someday...

They were also discussing the political race and are excited about Hillary getting into the political office, but are amazed "that a black man got elected President before a woman, but then again black males were allowed to own property and vote before women, so..."

This then spun into a long winded loud tirade of the struggle of being a woman....and some how ended up with their history in high school and dating altar boys from the local catholic churches. Thanks for the chuckles ladies...

Random Thoughts and Other Musings

It has been a while since I just unloaded my brain with everything that is bouncing around up there, so here you go and in no particular order...

• The HBM and accompanying beard are doing great, about a month before I attend my first beard and mustache competition. I doubt I will be competing, but it will be nice to be in the company of like featured people.
• April ended with a good record for my baseball team, hope they keep up the hard play and compete in the rest of the season as they have so far.
• I had a cigar the other day that was fantastic, may have to adjust my top ten list soon, but that will be a separate post.
• My son graduates college in a few weeks, where has the time gone...
• The presidential race is turned into a mindless circus, and everyone has been suckered into the tent. Do you want Theocracy, Fascism, Oligarchy, or Social Democracy?
• My knee is slowly getting better, at my age I think this will take awhile and it may bother me for the rest of my life.

That is all for now.

Yoga Shoes?

Got an advert that yoga shoes are on sale...wait, you need special shoes for yoga?

I have gone to one yoga class (I probably should do more), and everyone was barefoot, now you need yoga shoes? Is this just purely a marketing thing? Someone's new way to make millions?

I appreciate the yoga pants trend, really I do. So now everyone will all be wearing yoga shoes to the local coffee shop to get their spiced hot chai latte. 

Will Nike release an Air Guru? Adidas, a Climiguru? Will you need a special sock to wear with the yoga shoes? Will there be special shoes made for pronators and supinators? A special instep grip for cobra? Will you need different soles depending on the yoga mat you use? Maybe some quick drying ones with an anti-microbe lining for use in hot yoga...

I wish I had thought of this...

HBM Update #13 and AB Moment #1

It has been a while since a HBM update and now I get to add an AB (Awesome Beard) moment.

The lights are on at the local Dairy Queen and the Maeve and I decided to stop and get our first of the season. I was quick to discover that I am going to have to learn a new approach to eating ice cream cones. It was not pretty but amused the Maeve to no end, or I just need to grab a fist full of napkins and deal with the mess.

Note: combing out dried ice cream in facial hair hurts...

Cool Jobs

Jobs that sound cool if you don't know what they actually are:

• Bouncer
• Branch Manager
• Web Master
• Key Grip
• Boom Operator
• Sports Anchor
• Plastic Surgeon
• Parts Inspector
• Apple Genius
• Child Wrangler
• Satellite Installation Technician
• Special Agent
• Bus Boy

There are probably plenty more feel free to add...

Ding Dong Ditch

I had to drive through the local university (UCONN) today, twice. I witnessed a new twist on age old prank of Ding Dong Ditch.

It may have not been intentional, but I saw it three times. So it makes me wonder...or is everyone just oblivious to world around them and the consequences of their actions...I am going to stick that it is a new age prank.

Students come to an intersection and press the button to get a walk light. Then they don't wait and 'jay walk' across the road. Then the cars have to wait through the cycle of the crossing lights. All the cars stopped and no one in the crosswalk. Just waiting...awkwardly...

Thank you for wasting my time.