Monthly Archives July 2017

Stevie Ryan’s suicide was a cry for help that we need to heed today. When a person suffers a major loss as Mrs. Ryan suffered with the death of her grandfather we in society should be there to provide mental health treatment for at least the short run. There should not only be know shame for a person to seek such treatment but encouraged as a whole by the society at large.  This treatment should similarly be encouraged when someone has difficulty over coming a relationship or loses their job.  Whether it means intervention at the unemployment office before checks are disbursed or discussion with pastoral help about sources of help during a grieving period, we can’t ignore the plight of those that are suffering.  If we are willing to contribute so much to those that have sickness in their heart then surely we can do more for those who have sicknesses in their head.

I could learn a lesson today, from the baby days of the past.  My daughter used to sneak out of her bed in the middle of the night and get into ours on a regular basis until I had the discipline to end this situation with my battle plan ready. I would calmly sit on the floor right outside her room and whenever she was ready to cross the threshold would pick her up and put her back in the bed. She would cry and throw a tantrum as I continued this pattern until it finally broke for the night or was it nights.  Breaking the pattern took a great deal of patients and calmness for there were times when she would forget her lesson but eventually she learned the painful reality to stay and sleep in her own bed.

Today although these babies have physically grown up their use of tantrums helps them get what they want. Who wants to challenge that annoying colleague it’s better to give them the toys and walk away for  who has the time and energy? If instead we  ignored their outburst and calmly put them back in their crib they wouldn’t have power over us. Even if it takes extra time and  effort initially isn’t it worth it to deal with the situation head on so we all could have a more peaceful sleep and work environment?

David Desper & Bianca Roberson life’s were destroyed as road rage took one more victim and destroyed the life on another.  David Desper’s impulsive decision to end the life of Bianca Roberson, a recent graduate, over something so silly as who gets in front of another points to a growing problem of hostility on the road of life.  So many times people who lose their emotional control act out in a way that causes an innocent person to be the victim and them to lose their life as well. While we focus a great deal of time and energy on educating our youth without their ability to deal with problems we all get an F.   Maybe we in society should take the time to teach emotional control whether it be in our schools or workplaces so tragedies such as the one above we’ll be headlines no more.

I love the English people but have no idea what they’re saying! When watching movies or television shows made in the United Kingdom I need it dubbed or with subtitles to truly understand what is going on.  If the Beatles and Rolling Stones could sing in our form of English shouldn’t there shows speak that way as well?  Maybe the real reason we fought the Revolutionary War with England is poor communications, would a translator or two have saved the day? We may never know but at least these problems lead us to coffee and a day off in 2 days.  Happy July 4th!

FOOTNOTE – This is a joke which should be translated in English and American languages.

President Trump should learn from his pen that sometimes things are best unwritten/said. As he refused to sign the legislation that would ramp up anti Russian sanctions without saying a word,  maybe he should do the same with Twitter a bit more.  For sometimes silence can be more deafening then a screamo band. By not signing such legislation he is showing that the executive branch will deal with negotiations with a foreign country as they try a different path then in the past. No words were written or typed in this memo or even placed on Twitter but with a meeting to occur with President Trump and President Putin we scream through those lines.   President Trump speak a bit  softer at times and your impact might just be louder then you can imagine.

What are your “great adventures” things you did but would probably never do again? Some of these adventures were based on youthful indiscretions while others were because they were there moments. Here are a few that I’ve completed in my list before it was sealed and a few I’d love to add.

GREAT ADVENTURES

(1) Skiing down a Black Diamond hill even though I was practically a 30 year old virgin. Went on my butt 3/4 of the way.

(2) Jumping off Rick’s Cafe in Jamaica– Didn’t go to the very top but 50/100 feet wasn’t bad for someone who had something to live for.

(3) Jumping off a boat– It just was the thing to do and it was approximately the height of the cafe.

(4) Rooftop Passenger– Yes this was a youthful discretion that could have ended right there with a quick break.

(5) Climbing a Peak in Mexico- Let’s put this in a bit more perceptive this peak was in the middle of the Ocean which took me and my friend a 1/2 hour to swim to in the first place. The top appeared higher then Rick’s Cafe.

(4) Swam with Stingray’s.  Probably not the most adventurous but after the tragedy with Steve Irwin it might be considered so.

(5) Swam with Sharks.  Yes they love human flesh luckily there was a piece of Plexiglas between us.

BUCKET LIST ITEMS

(1) Skydiving- I don’t know when it will occur but someday G-D willing I’ll take this jump and survive.

(2) NASCAR Driving- It’s possible I’ve passed this speed point but I’d like to try it.

They don’t dress like us, act like us, or accept our way of life so why should we accept
“them” or even like them?  Their is a deep undertow that is causing a rift between those who follow this faith path and those that follow a different path.  Instead of believing they are right for this group and their family as we are right for ours their becomes a competition to knock the other of their road, which is not based on logically discourse but building to hate.  We are all G-D’s children built with the same basic starting blocks and how we decide to fulfill our destiny is in our hands with different fingerprints on us all.  Let us learn to appreciate and respect those differences as we come together to celebrate the good times for life is too short for hate.

We should be well into the times of determining the damage or lack thereof of  long term illegal drug use, as many of those who initially experimented enter their senior years. Will we see increases in mental health disorders, Cancers, heart disease with this generation VS past generations? Can we isolate those that have had a fling with illegal drugs with those that became users and what was the drug of choice?  Adding to this complexity is whether such a study can actually isolate the effects of these drugs vs thousands of other contributors.  Yet in the end this study should and must be attempted as efforts to legalize Marijuana and other illegal substances gain steam we must know what could be the effect on individuals and society years in the future.

FOOTNOTE- Of course if we find positive long term effects of these substances that must be noted as well.