Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

Today marks post number 2000 on my humble site, begun way back in 2008. I created this blog in order to express my heart and to explore my soul in the midst of a very dark night for me back when the wires were taut. Since that time I have played every chord that I know and then some to get to where I have found myself today. I can hear old John Fogerty moaning out the words to Lodi,

Somewhere I lost connections
Ran out of songs to play

Today marks the end for me at this site. I have nothing else to say here. It is a time for me to find other avenues to wander. Thanks to those who have supported this place of mine. Blessings to each of you in your futures.

Observations 121

My occasional blog series "Observations" was created to be an outlet to share a variety of topics that pop into my field of view as a result of a condition that many bloggers are afflicted with known as "blogger's eyes". In this state we view the world on the constant look-out for topics on which to write about. Today's blog came about from random odds 'n ends of things that I have noticed over the past few weeks.

• Steve Sarkisian was the head football coach for USC until he was fired because he was an alcoholic and it was drastically affecting his ability to do his job. Mr. Sarkisian has filed a lawsuit alleging the university did not treat him fairly because he had a disability. You just know this guy will win and get his millions of dollars in damages.
  
• I have a suggestion for a law that should be put into effect for the month of December. If someone is going to the store to get regular stuff that has nothing to do with any holiday, there should be special checkout lines so they don't have to wait.
  
• Here's a depressing finding. Amnesty International has recently released a report that states that most of the stockpile of weapons controlled by the terrorist ISIS group were originally made in the United States. Perhaps we should amend the list of what can be sold on Amazon.com?
  
• A shocking headline on CNN the other day proclaimed that police could not pursue the capture of a burglary suspect as he was recently eaten by an alligator. If I had a nickel for every time that tired old excuse was tossed out.
  
• Must hold on ... the winter Solstice has come and gone and the amount of daylight each day is now increasing ... must hold on ...
  

Treasure Island

I remember reading an interview by a famous author who was encouraging folks not to forget the classics. He recommended that we should read one classic novel for every three or four new releases. In my reading list over the past ten years, I have tackled only a small handful of what might be termed "classic" novels. So in this vein I read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stephenson. After spending some time with this 1880s work, I understand why it is such a beloved tale. An engaging yarn of buccanneers and buried gold, with commentaries on morality, innocence, and bravery, has served as the inspiration and paradigm for all modern stories of this genre. One viewing of the popular "Pirates of the Carribbean" movies and one will clearly see Stevenson's uncredited imprints all over it.

The story begins on the coast of England, when Billy Bones, a salty old seadog comes to stay at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Young Jim Hawkins, the son of the owners, is asked by Billy to watch out for a one-legged seafaring man, who he claims is out to get his sea chest. After he has been found, Billy gets scared enough that he drinks himself into a stroke and dies. Young Jim comes to understand that Billy is a pirate who has double-crossed his mates and absconded with the map that marks the treasure of the notorious Capt. Flint. Just before the rogues descend on the inn, Jim and his mother open Billy's sea chest and escape with the map to the village squire who then forms up a plan to claim the vast horde. The squire charters the Hispaniola, a fine three-masted schooner, to take them to the isolated island whose coordinates are marked on the map.

Being a city man the squire looks for help in assembling a sound crew. At the wharfs, he meets up with John Silver, to help him in this effort. Silver, a one-legged man whose whole life has been spent upon the sea, comes across to all as friendly, experienced, and honest. After meeting John, Jim reasons to his satisfaction that John cannot be the same one-legged man that he saw from a distance outside his inn back home. In due time, the Hispaniola heads out to sea under the good Capt. Smollett hired by the squire. However, once underway, Jim happens upon the truth of Silver and his intentions. Silver and a number of the crew that he put together had served under Capt. Flint and were planning to mutiny as soon as the ship neared the island. Jim warns the captain and the squire and they make good their escape with sufficient stores from the ship to Flint's old outpost on the island.

The story follows the treachery of the pirates under their Capt. Long John Silver as they try to overtake the squire's men to take possession of the treasure map. Young Jim musters up his bravery and takes several bold and clever measures to outmaneuver the crew of scoundrels. Silver, a treacherous creature in the deepest manner, who has never kept a promise that put him at a disadvantage, changes loyalties with every shift of the wind until the last. Just a perfect antagonist for a well laid out and paced adventure story that I highly recommend.

Quick Hits 53

Sometimes I hear an utterance or catch a quick visual of something that sticks in my mind. As this sensory input rolls about in my head, several different outcomes are possible. It might be the case that after a moment of consideration, the input is deleted as uninteresting, trivial, or too much for me to deal with. However, another possible outcome is that the input keeps demanding my attention. It somehow wants me to wrestle with it and give it more than just a passing notice. In such cases, they can end up here, in my blog series called Quick Hits.

Many folks suffer from the blues after a holiday passes. Why do you think this happens? Is it because they did not enjoy themselves? Is it because they had to go back to work after a few days off? Is it because they used up too much energy in the preparations and lead up?

What do you think?

iTunes Latest - 32

I have been a user of iTunes since 2011. This service has allowed me to bring music back into my world and to reconnect with so many great songs from my past and to find some great new recent stuff as well. One of the things that I really like about music is how it becomes part of the soundtrack of the different seasons of our lives. So, I thought that I would share my latest five downloads and a bit about my thoughts on each song.

• House of Cards - Scorpions (2015) - Something seems off when a rock group lingers too long. The Scorpions have been around now for 50 years. They officially retired a few years ago, but decided to unretire. However, this song from their recent release is well crafted and fits in perfectly with other ballads they have released over the years.
  
• Confident - Demi Levato (2015) - While I am most definitely not a fan of the music of this ex-Disney teeny bopper turned look-at-me vixen, this song will not let me avoid it. A loud, driving, bombastic anthem about strutting your stuff and to heck with anybody who says otherwise.
  
• Drive - America (2015) - For me America is cemented into my DNA as a classic band from the early 1970s. Yet if you look at their catalog, they have been releasing new work consistently every few years. This song is from their most recent release and its strumming guitar groove about getting away and leaving your troubles behind is polished and professional.
  
• Humanity - Scorpions (2007) - A tune from a release about 10 years ago that saw the band return to its nominal album formula after a lengthy period of stylistic experimentation that caused its fanbase to erode considerably. The downfall of humanity is upon us and nobody seems to recognize it.
  
• Crossfire - Scorpions (1984) - A haunting dirge lamenting that we are caught in the crossfire of our government leader's bloodlust and power plays.
  

Insights on Galatians and Ephesians

Several years ago Charles Swindoll set out on a grand project, to produce a 15-volume set of expository texts on the New Testament. After the fifth volume in the series was released, the publisher pulled the plug on the project because of poor sales. The issue was that the books were not written as lite, fluff pieces for quick consumption. They were written more as textbooks for detailed, in depth study. Thankfully, another publisher picked up the project and after a several year delay, the sixth volume was just released, which focuses on the apostle Paul's letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. What was originally called Swindoll's New Testament Insights has now been rebranded as Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentaries. Apart from different cover artwork, the new books are unchanged in style and approach from those already released.

Insights on Galatians and Ephesians, the latest release, has been one that I have been tracking and looking forward to as these two books of the Bible have proven over time to be the most encouraging to me. Swindoll analyzes the letters verse by verse and then provides relevant insight, interpretation, and historical context that bring out the author's intent and the implications of the text. Swindoll's unique voice and expansive expertise bring the scriptures alive and make them approachable to everyone from the novice to the more experienced. A pure joy to spend time studying God's word through this text. I very much look forward to the next volume in this series, Insights on Acts, that is scheduled for release in the first half of 2016.

Observations 120

My occasional blog series "Observations" was created to be an outlet to share a variety of topics that pop into my field of view as a result of a condition that many bloggers are afflicted with known as "blogger's eyes". In this state we view the world on the constant look-out for topics on which to write about. Today's blog came about from random odds 'n ends of things that I have noticed over the past few weeks.

• Would you label me a realist or a cynic if I told you that the recent Rhonda Rousey vs. Holly Holm fight was rigged to bring attention to a "sport" on the verge of bringing in big money but falling short because its one star was too dominant?
  
• A friend was driving to work the other morning when a black cat suddenly darted across the road in front of his vehicle. Within half a mile his "check engine" light came on. Coincidence or scientific proof of the old adage about black cats crossing your path bringing bad luck?
  
• A man who was born with only one arm shows up at work one day with two normal arms. It is natural and expected for everyone to ask questions, to look, and to touch. Why are we expected to behave any differently if a flat-chested woman shows up at work one day well endowed in the chestal region?
  
• More and more leaders are pushing for more and more people to carry guns. How long until personal sidearms are as ubitquitous as cell phones?
  
• Here's a helpful tip for everyone. After working with epoxy, it is best to make sure that your hands are completely clean before attempting to go to the bathroom.
  

Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year to all of my online friends. I hope that the year ahead finds you in good health, in good humor, and in good stead. Blessings to all.

New Year's Eve 2015

May the upcoming year bring you good health, more laughter than you have known, true friendship, grand adventure, full satisfaction, warm hugs, continual romance, perfect peace, and lasting joy. Blessings to all of my online friends.

Resolutions 2015

At the end of each blog year (like a regular year only bloggier) I have traditionally written a post reviewing my New Year's resolutions for the past year. The point is to own up to areas in my life that I have looked to change and honestly assess how I have done. Looking back over the past posts in this series, I have not done particularly well. In fact, the truth of the matter is that I often fail completely on realizing my goals. However, the pattern that has consistently emerged is that the goals that I set that depend entirely on me and my efforts and attitude, have turned out quite well. It is when I have resolutions that depend on other people when I am awarded with a plastic goose egg.

In my past "Resolutions" posts I have itemized my resolutions for the year and provided some commentary on my successes and failures. However, this year I just don't have it in me to do things the same way. This year has been more than tough for me and most days have found me struggling to stay afloat or numb to the happenings of the world around me. Hurt after hurt caused me to just let go of realizing my dreams. Holding onto hope when nothing ever seemed to go as I would have liked was killing me and I had to let it go.

While that sounds horrible and depressing, something positive at least came out of all of this. My approach changed from struggling to try to get what I wanted to one of just planting seeds. Doing little things here and there to help others as I was able or as I was inspired. Each seed planted might have died unnoticed or might have made a small positive difference in someone's day. I planted randomly without making it about me in any way. Maybe that is the best resolution that I could have made to begin with.

Blog Recap 2015

At the end of each year, I like to take a moment to look back and survey what I have included on my blog. As I peruse the list, I come upon posts that still resonate with me. They can still make me smile or bring a fresh tear. I think that I am pleased with what I have included here.

One of the ways that I look back over my site, is to make a list of my top 10 blogs for the year. This list is not compiled based on the number of comments or the number of views. It is based simply on what I liked the best. So, without further ado, here is my top 10 list of my own blogs (in no particular order) for 2015.

• Jack O' the Wisps (Dec. 17) - The story of my life, which explains everything and nothing at all.
  
• Italian Recollections (Oct. 19) - Staying positive when I was not where I wanted to be.
  
• Make Ur Move (Aug. 31) - Being a man when I just don't have it in me.
  
• Lessons in Geometry (Jul. 27) - Owning up to lessons that should have already been learned.
  
• Waves (Jul. 13) - A melancholy look back.
  
• Pulchritude (Jun. 29) - You have got to sound out your words.
  
• Bucket Equity (Jun. 8) - Explaining why I often struggle with others.
  
• Reflections (May 4) - Watching me slip away.
  
• Who I Am (Apr. 14,16,21) - For art lovers who ever wanted to know the different sides of me.
  
• Duke of Yosemite (Mar. 11) - Realizing that the train has left you behind at the station.
  

I hope that you found something here that made you think, that made you smile, or that somehow created a spark for your day. Thanks for stopping by my humble site.

Best Books of 2015

This year I have read 74 books and definitely found some good ones along the way. This was a year dominated by Brandon Sanderson (20 books), Bradley Beaulieu (7 books), and Robert Jordan (8 books). It was also the year that I read a few ebooks (9 books). Following my well-established year-end tradition, I share my list of the top 10 "books" for this year in no particular order. Note that I use "books" because I typically count a series by an author as one entry.

• The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson
  
• Saint Odd, Dean Koontz
  
• Tuf Voyaging, George R.R. Martin
  
• Cross Roads, William Paul Young
  
• The Lays of Anuskaya trilogy (The Winds of Khalakovo, The Straits of Galahesh, The Flames of Shadam Khoreh), Bradley Beaulieu
  
• The Wheel of Time series (New Spring, The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven, Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords), Robert Jordan
  
• Lest our Passage be Forgotten, Bradley Beaulieu
  
• Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
  
• The Cemetery of Forgotten Books Series (The Angel's Game, The Prison of Heaven), Carlos Luis Zafon
  
• Words of Radiance, Brandon Sanderson
  

I have already started to pick out some books for the first part of 2016. If you have any suggestions, send them along and I will check them out. I keep my list of reads current on my Shelfari page.

Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas to my online friends. May you find blessings and peace on this day.

Christmas Eve 2015

Today of all days during the year, the children are most like angels. Excited, innocent, and loved. For parents the anticipation of what tomorrow will bring is often the best part of the experience. Ribbons and bows adorn the packages, months spent in the preparations and the execution. May your tomorrow be better than all you could have asked for or imagined. Beyond everything, may you feel loved and appreciated. Merry Christmas to all.

Observations 119

My occasional blog series "Observations" was created to be an outlet to share a variety of topics that pop into my field of view as a result of a condition that many bloggers are afflicted with known as "blogger's eyes". In this state we view the world on the constant look-out for topics on which to write about. Today's blog came about from random odds 'n ends of things that I have noticed over the past few weeks.

• I still find it amazing how these "miracle tonic" ads on T.V. keeping pulling in the suckers, especially when every single one ends with the statement, "This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
  
• Watching once great athletes who were dominant in their primes fall so far that they are among the worst statistical performers in their leagues breaks my heart. It leaves an image that begins to replace the iconic one that had been formed over many years.
  
• Over the past several weeks I have stumbled upon some words that I would have bet were typos or gibberish that turned out to be real, actual words. It seems that I don't know everything after all.
  
• One can know the end is coming and take steps to plan for it. However, when it inevitably comes, it can still be wholly unexpected.
  
• At the dentist's office the other day the dentist was searching for the right tool to pull something out of my mouth that had gotten wedged between my teeth. I reached down to my belt pouch and handed him the pliers that I always carry with me.
  

Quick Hits 52

Sometimes I hear an utterance or catch a quick visual of something that sticks in my mind. As this sensory input rolls about in my head, several different outcomes are possible. It might be the case that after a moment of consideration, the input is deleted as uninteresting, trivial, or too much for me to deal with. However, another possible outcome is that the input keeps demanding my attention. It somehow wants me to wrestle with it and give it more than just a passing notice. In such cases, they can end up here, in my blog series called Quick Hits.

In the time it takes to watch a single T.V. program, you can be sure to view at least one commercial of some law firm trying to round up a list of folks to form a class-action lawsuit they are heading up. These lawsuits bring in millions for the law firms in terms of fees and pay mere pennies to the folks on the list. What does the prevalence of such rackets say about us?

What do you think?

In the News 20

While I have not touched an actual newspaper in some time, I do skim through the online news headlines each day. There is always something that catches my attention, whether it involves human conflict, a human interest piece, the sports wrap, or just the usual absurdities. In this series, I carve out a space for my opinions, reminiscences, or comments.

Jim Perry - Jim was a popular game show host in the 1980s, most notably on Sale of the Century and Card Sharks. I used to watch these shows pretty regularly when I was in college. I would come back to my room between classes in the morning and veg out for a bit with the T.V.. Jim had a smooth style, a twinkle in his eye, and filled the emcee role to perfection. He will always have a strong association to that time in my life. Jim died on November 20, 2015 at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer.

Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik - Two young American citizens showed up at a San Bernadino social services center and opened fire with assault rifles, killing 14 individuals and wounding another 21. In the aftermath, a shootout with law enforcement ensued and the couple was killed at the scene. Federal investigators have claimed that it appears the killing was a terrorist act and a "bomb lab" was found at the couple's apartment, hinting at more destructure future plans. As Farook and Malik left on their mission of sadistic murder, they left their 6-month old daughter with a relative, saying they were going to a doctor's appointment. What is it that turns souls to such evil? The incident occurred on December 2, 2015.

A Crown of Swords

The seventh book in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is entitled A Crown of Swords and follows immediately after Lord of Chaos. Another tale that sees the reach of the Dark One continue to expand beyond his prison at Shayol Ghul, while his hand-chosen Forsaken plot and scheme against each other to consolidate their own power. They are at once pure evil and utterly vindictive and petty. Alliances formed today are betrayed tomorrow.

There are two main story arcs in this tale. The first sees Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, the savior of the people from prophesy, developing an elaborate scheme to defeat one of the most powerful Forsaken. Sammael has taken control of the kingdom of Illian and sows discord in the land. While Rand feints and patiently sets up his trap, Sammael never seems to fall for the bait. Certainly he controls numbers of Darkfriends as spies in Rand's camp. Ultimately it comes down to strength against strength and Rand's moment has come to strike down Sammael. With each step Rand must carefully weigh who truly is on his side and who seeks to either slip a knife in his back or bring him to heel.

The second main arc of the narrative follows Nynaeve and Elayne as they search for the powerful ter'angreal from the Age of Legends called the Bowl of Winds. With enough Aes Sedai linking their strength and channeling through this creation, it is believed that they can remove the crippling drought that the Dark One has unleashed across the land. With the help of the special gifts of Mat Cauthon, the ter'angreal is located, but no sooner do they close in on the prize than they are met by numbers of the Black Ajah, Aes Sedai that have pledged their souls to the Dark One. Not only that, but they are attacked by a Shadowspawn called a gholam, a creature that is unkillable and nearly unstoppable. Yet Mat finds a way to drive him off and the Bowl of Winds is finally in hand. I now move onto the next book in this most enjoyable and fully engrossing series, The Path of Daggers.

Jack O' the Wisps

Ten years is a long time to chase the wind, yet fool that I am I continued to give all. No matter that it was little more than trying to scream in the depths of space, where there is no medium and nobody to hear you anyway.

Stratus, cumulus, cirrus ... I know all the clouds, for they have ever filled my skies. Dark, overbearing, present. Yet I found a way to still, to compartmentalize your eyes, your perfume, your touch. Yet one day, for reasons that no man can know, one small corner of the sky unexpectedly seemed to lighten by a shade. How I regret allowing myself to take a second look, for allowing myself to attempt to stoke that long cold furnace.

sometimes I hear the echoes of laughter in the twilight of affairs and other tragedies ...

For all of the lambskin on my walls I still can't get through my head a simple concept. I can't let you go when I won't let you go. Likely I will never comprehend. Everything I know tells me that I will never get past this.

the walls are too high to jump

Now that I have been shown back to my place, I sense, as before, that I am broken beyond repair. I did not realize until it was far too late that you were nothing more than a jack o' the wisps. Why did I fall for that shadow? Damn. How can I go on knowing that I can't go on? That it's too late for my dreams held in those salad days?

they say time's supposed to heal ya, but I ain't done much healing

Observations 118

My occasional blog series "Observations" was created to be an outlet to share a variety of topics that pop into my field of view as a result of a condition that many bloggers are afflicted with known as "blogger's eyes". In this state we view the world on the constant look-out for topics on which to write about. Today's blog came about from random odds 'n ends of things that I have noticed over the past few weeks.

• A Harvard business professor recently completed an in-depth study that shows, contrary to the old adage, that money really can buy happiness. So, can we please retire that hackneyed old saw?
  
• While the first observation was meant to capture your attention and be a bit humorous, his study showed that we achieve a much higher level of happiness when we spend our money on experiences rather than on stuff. That is actually a profound bit of insight that should give rise to a paradigm shift in our approach.
  
• It is so sad to see people whose personal addictions keep doing them in. After each incident of self-destruction they answer with the expected apologies and promises, yet they continue to fall given opportunity after opportunity.
  
• Football analyst John Madden once made the observation that football is such an interesting game in large part due to the shape of the ball. He stated that "whoever thought to put the points on the ball was a genius." In a parallel statement, I would say that whoever came up with the idea to put credit card scanners on vending machines was a genius.
  
• I have just coined a new word I have. A mutinee is a mutiny that takes place during the day.