4/29/2020. Something Small

    To me Spirit is like akin to electricity. Can't see it. But to know it's there flip a wall switch and let there be light or if it's a radio, let there be sound. With a TV you get the light and sound. Spirit can give you the effect. It takes action on your part to start the process. First came the idea, then your intent and then you use action to get the ball rolling.

    One day I noticed one of the hubcaps on my touch was missing. I have fancy ones, I looked it up, 125 dollars for one, didn't want it that bad. Checked on a used hubcap guy, he wanted 35 dollars. No I say, I want to pay zero dollars and I want it quick. Driving down the highway a week later, I spot a Chrome hubcap off to the side in grass. Pull over pick it up, yep it's a match. Bang it on with my rubber mallet, right then and there, looks good. Thank you Spirit, says I. Two weeks later it's MIA( missing in action). I say to Spirit same deal ok. Week later different road another hubcap, these are super fancy ones mind you. It's my hubcap. Get my hammer out but this time I notice on my tire rim a small dent in it. But the cap seems to grip it good. Month later it's off again. Probably that little dent. I gave up. From that day forward, I never saw a hubcap like mine again. You know if I would have given it more thought, I should have gotten a different rim. Me big dummy. Spirit helped me 2 times and I couldn't do my part. For the rest of that trucks life, I drove it with 3 hubcaps.

    Spirit did it's part. Got me the cap free of charge, the how was on me. When you ask spirit be specific, how quick you want it or what color or how much you want to spend. Lay it out there. See what you get. Start today, now.

4/28 /2020. A Beat Down

    A mother is now yelling at her kid. The kid is screaming. Before peace and calm, now two unhappy people. The mother started it, so the kid didn't do what you wanted, theres got to be another way. The kid is learning to get what it wants, he has to scream. Day in and day out of this makes for an unhappy future adult.

     I was on a bus in San Francisco many years back, I was in center of bus. A kid near the front was carrying on, the grandmother tried to bribe him to be good, when that didn't work the threats started. I moved up the aisle and sat behind them. Out loud I said God is love. The grandmother started using loving words instead, the boy screamed even louder, because he knew that the grandmother was bullshit. Kids know.

    I was living with a gal, who had a 6 yr old. The kid was wild, acting out, sometimes in the home, sometimes out of the home. One day I had to give her a spanking, it brought her around. I now know I would have done things differently. When she would act out, her mother would put her in her room for 30 min, she would have all her toys there. Didn't fix the problem. One Saturday she lost it again, I guess she was 7 and a half. I put her in time out, my way. She had to stand in corner face to wall and be quiet for 10 min.  She turned and yelled at me. I said 11 min, again she faced wall then turned to me with more yelling. I said 12 min. Now all of sudden this repeats till it's up to 20 min. She turns again but as she's about to yell, she stops herself and faces wall. Twenty minutes is a long time for a kid. I would check on her, she did not slouch once it stayed the full 20 min. Tough kid. She earned my respect.

    Two months later, she was acting up. I said lisa you can either have punishment A or punishment B which was easier or stop what your'e doing and have no punishment . You pick it. She chose no punishment. I gave her love and she knew it. She was done with temper tantrums. She went from a weed to a peony. We were at a party and my sister came to me and said you've done a great job with her. Lisa was a smart loving kid all along

4/28/2020. Early Bird get's the Dandelion

    In the Spring, I usually here the birds start to stir around 5:30 am. If theres time I like to take a long walk in the morning. Now in this neighborhood it's pretty quiet, very agreeable. It starts in April, the first dandelions begin to appear. I like a dandelion now and then but these guys are prolificators. Like rabbits. Get out my Home Depot orange 5 gal bucket and start to exercise. Mostly I'm stalking the seed head of the weed. It's got a dark green tightly bound outer seed cover with a tuft of white at the tip. Ripe for picking, I pick them and any opened seed pods. Up and down good exercise. While I'm at it also pull the weeds, best when ground is wet. If it has a woody stem you grip it good give it a twist and pull, you usually get the root. A friends yard was covered with it. One Spring when I could I went after the dandelion. The next year the population was cut in half. Those are pretty good results. In 2 yrs it was only 10 % of the yard, with no chemicals. You can mantain your yard at a leisurally pace. When you see a bad area of lawn, dig out some soil get good topsoil add some grass seed mix then put it down in shallow area, then tamp and mist , keep from drying out.

    We can do this to ourselves. Weed out things we don't like about ourselves and plant better seed. Gal I knew was trying to do this, she asked me what I thought was wrong with her. I said seriously, she said yes, you r 'e not going to like it. Hit me she says, I told her and I thought she was going to hit me. When you ask that question better be strong enough to handle it. Also have a pen and paper handy. Try asking a friend what he or she thinks of you. If they speak truth you may have a negative reaction, well that person is definetly your friend. It's now time to get to work. ON You. Talk

4/26/2020. Spirits

    Beer. When I was a kid, my job was to help my Pop out in the yard. Pop liked bushes, small trees, ponds, patios, birds and vegetable gardens. His interests later became my interests. Pop was the pruner and I was the bundler. Sticks had to be tied up in 4 ft bundles to be put out to curb. I became an expert bundler in my younger years. Another job was to get Pop a shaffer, which was a beer brand. Pop was not a heavy drinker. The first shaffer I had tasted like crap. Over time I got used to it.


    When I turned 18, my friend took me to a bar. My friend had been there before. We sauntered up to the bar. The bartender looked at me and said get out. I said I'm legal, get out, get out and out the door I went. Beer, gin and tonics, wine and an occasional shot of whiskey. Got sick twice in my life at young age. I learned from it, once on cheap wine and one too many gin and tonics. I was playing pool at a bar, drinking gin and tonics, the bar tender said you better slow it down, I didn't listen, I knew it all. I had about13 tonics and drove to my buddies house, he was in passenger seat. We got home and I said how did I drive, he said perfect. Hour later watching TV got sick for an hour. Didn't make that mistake again. From then on, I knew when to quit. I'd be in a bar and sometimes have a couple shots of whiskey during the night. Then a voice would say that's your last, I'd set the glass down and walk out. I would always listen.

   One day after work, I'm in this go-go bar. The dance floor is in shape of an L and the counter traveled 6' from the dance floor36O.° There was a door 2 ft up from floor with 2 little steps, this was door used by the dancers. I heard voices to my right getting louder. I picked up my glass of beer and started to walk left. The door on my left was 2 ft up and recessed a ft and a half in, leaving a little alcove. I got up in there as my Bud beer bottle goes whizzing by me, crashing into the adjacent wall. Bottle survives with not even a blemish, just missing a guy by inches. The Bud was mine. The jerk to my right threw at his friend. They were grappling as the barmaid dialled 911. Those cops were there in 2 min flat, I couldn't believe it. They dragged them out likety split. I got another beer, and everything continued, like nothing happened. Look around yourself for potential problems and figure out what to do in an emergency.

    One day Spirit gives me a nudge, time to stop drinking. If you want to go further. Spirit can only do so much for you if your brain is fogged. So I gave up gin and tonics, whiskey and wine. Six months later, I get give up drinking, I said I did. No... the beer. I said come on not the beer. I did not want to do this. Eh... another month goes by, give up beer. Damn. So I did, I use to drink a little over a case a week, never in the morning. It was hard to give up. Usually I have a bad smeller but 6 months later I was in a huge room where people were drinking. Someone popped a cap on a beer and I smelt it 25 ft away, boy did I want it bad. Another 6 months goes by, a different arena, someone twists off a beer cap, I could smell it real good, but this time I didn't need it. That was over 30 years ago. I've been a non drinker.

    You either move forward or your moving backward. I choose forward. Plus you do get smarter along the way. Which is a good thing.

4/24/2020. Get off the Pot Already

    One Thanksgiving day, I saw my sister Lara with a sad countenance about her. I said what gives? Oh it's my marriage. What are you going to do about it. I don't know yet. O k I said. The next Thanksgiving, the same thing happens. What are you going to do about it ?  She says I'll think about it. I said thats what you said last year. The only way it gets done is you have to take action.

    Flashback.  Lara is at her mother inlaws (Cathy)kitchen table where theyre discussing her son Jerry's behavior, Lara's husband. Cathy says to Lara, do what I've done let it go in one ear and out the other, and go and do what you want to do. This is what Cathy did in her own marriage. Lara says to Cathy, Well first of all my names not Cathy. Thats it in a nut shell. Shes going to do it her way. Good for her.

 
    It's now 6 months later in the spring. I get a phone call from her, can you help me move? Ok I say. It takes two hours to get there. Pull up 9am on Sat. Other family members are there and no Jerry. The blitz move was on. Six hours later, she was moved out and in her new place. Jerry came home to a different life.

 

    Next Thanksgiving, her mood was brighter. Are you glad you did it?  I say. Oh yes she said.  Things will go on and on if there is no action. Action is a determination and a strong will. Use it to make yourself a better life. Lessons are learned and nothing goes to waste.. She and Jerry are still friends to this day.

4/23/2020. Boiler House

    Those were the words on the  side of an old wood boat, sitting on a trailer. The paint scheme was red and black. When I see that combination, to me, it means watch out. Most likely not a pleasant experience. I noted it. This was the begining of March 2020, the start of covid19.

    A small swelling on my left bicep started to develop. I didn't pay it much mind. I flew out of state. By the  3rd week, I knew I had a problem. I called an urgent care, they wanted 150 dollars to look at it and 250 to remove it. Hung up and said no way. I asked Spirit what to do, no answer. I used my smartphone instead. I found out the difference between a cyst and a boil, I had the later. It said it takes about 3 weeks to resolve. Occasionaly use hot compresses and eventually the body will dispense with it. I found all of it to be true. So Sprirt tipped me off with message that was on boat. And it knew I had a smart phone. Spirit doesn't always give you a direct answer, you may have to look for it yourself. It gives you the tools and you do the work. Persistance and focus wins the day. May you have a safe day.

4/21/2020. Nova Scotia

    One of my favorite places, just a beautiful island. It's in the news today, because of a terrible evil that befell them Saturday. Mass murder. Or unbridaled narcissism. I'm not happy with the way my life is going going, so I'm going to end it and take some people with me. One word....Sicko.  For a narcissist to heal himself he has to put his focus outward get it off himself. Go out and do for someone else. Volunteering helps you heal in slow motion. Over time your attitude will shift and with it comes a place of joy.

    I put out to Spirit, if you want to get my attention show me doubles of whatever. So one day I'm at the flea market and I see a table with a Nova Scotia souvenir on it. I didn't pay it any mind, 5 min later another table had a bunch of old postcards all on Nova Scotia, I bought them all. Never been there, made up my mind that I'm going. It was a fantastic trip. Took my camper truck and headed north.

    Eventually made it to long Island. The highway was something, I'm doing  60 and the other motorists are passing me like crazy, even on the shoulder. After 3 hours of that I had enough. Next exit I'm getting off. Soon I enter a suburban town, I don't know where. Up ahead I see an all you can eat place, make a bee line for the parking lot. I open their massive door and there are tables laden for a king. You name it they gots it, and all for 10 dollars including drinks. The pain between my shoulder blades long forgotten. I stayed there 2 hours, one of the best 2 hours of my life. And there were only 6 patrons in there, with a gorgeous fire burning to my right. New York ain't so bad after all. Next day rode up to Montauk and took a ferry to Conneticut. Stopped in Mystic to see the Charles Morgan whaling vessel. The day was heavy overcast and cool and damp. It was earie. But probably the best way to see the ship. The weather kept the crowds away and seeing it in black and white, gave it an old timey feel. It felt like it couldn't wait to get out whalin.

    Now it was up to Bar Harbor ME to catch a ferry to Nova Scotia. I didn't know where to go, it was getting late. So I parked on side of a small road, slept in the camper. The next morning I looked down the hill and 100 ft down is the ship I'm looking for. I got down just in time, if I were to miss this boat, I would have to wait 2 more days. Lucked out there. It was over an 8 hr trip to get to Yarmouth N. S. Had great time. Peggy's Cove has huge boulders that fall into the ocean, an off white color. The lighthouse is small but picturesque. Then it was on to Halifax. Had some experience here during the week. Met a guy from another country that moved here from Asia, who spoke perfect english. He was an unofficial advocate for the poor. He had a giving nature about him. He was somebody you would want to emulate. There are few like him around.

    One day there in town, I'm walking on sidewalk and look to my left and see a couple hooligans on the far sidewalk. A young prof. female walks in front of me, crossing the wide street and she's heading in their direction. What is she crazy, as I slow my gait, to see if she would need my assistance. She's ok, the one bigger guy's i're was directed at me. He steps into the road in my direction telling me to come to him, yeah right. I picked up my gait and exited the scene. My new friends there invited me to the soup kitchen, I demured but they insisted, so I went. There was a long line there, in the line I notice the guy from the street, dressed in black, he looked sereen. In the center of his vest he held a single red rose, wierd. I knew what it meant, I passed some sort of test. Sometime during the week, I was in my camper about 12 am, I here a knock, come on out I want to talk to you. I said get lost. He said I have a gun, I said so, then just shoot. And that was that. Rest of night was quiet. Another episode, one of the homeless guys got enough money to buy a big hamburger. Another homeless guy comes by and he cuts his burger in half to give to him. Talk about caring.

    Looking back at those past years. I still think of that Asian in Halifax.

4/20/2000. Nightmare

    Not a pleasant occurence, most of my life I had them. Probably started around when I was  8. I would see these 3, I would call them balls not a solid though. They would appear on the horizon and slowly come near my face, and it would feel like I was suffocating. I would wake up in a sweat. I would get that dream once in awhile for years to come.

    I always liked to go to flea markets. Saturday I was walking around and got into a conversation with an older guy, marveling about all the different stuff to be had here. I said you got everything except coffins, he said well one day a long while ago, a guy was here selling coffins. He came here 2 weeks, until the owners of flea market asked him to leave with his coffins. One day at this market there was a vendor who had a book laying on the dirt, it was the Bhagavad gita. The cover is what got me. There was a young male laying asleep under a tree and what appeared to be an apparition of himself leaving his body. It gave me the creeps. I didn't buy the book. Much later I would think about that day. Keep an open mind, I would tell myself. I would eventually pick up books on spirituality and read them. This went on for many years. My nightmares shifted from balls to tornadoes, I'd wakeup in a pool of sweat, then I would change the sheets. This was happening about once a month for a couple years. Then it was twice a month, then once a week. I remember while I was running from said tornado, a book I read take a picture of what afflicts you in the dream. In the dream I reach back to my back pocket and pull out a camera. In the dream, I'm looking at this camera and thinking how did get there. Then I remembered the tornado, it was almost on me, quick put camera to my eye and see the black tornado and then I snap the shutter. Instantaneously I shoot up to a nearby cloud, I walk over to edge of cloud and peek down, there is my body, running for it's life from said twister. I went left, the twister went left, I went right the twister went right. The higher me safe on the cloud, no sweat. From that day forward, I never had a nightmare again. A friend of mine also had nightmares, her afflictors were big ferocious cats, like lions+ tigers, she stopped running and turned using God's name, the cats became Kittens, and she picked one up. Her nightmares. also ended.

    These are some ways that spirit can help you with having a more fullfilling life. I'm very thankfull not to have to change the bedding anymore. Spirit showed me, how to get above a problem.

4/19/2020. Dead. End Thinking

   

    Walking the same road over and over again. We have to ask ourselves, what do we want to accomplish here. Say every Sunday we take some time to evaluate our life. Keep a notebook handy, one that is sturdy with a strong binder and when open lays flat. Date each entry day, month and year. Write down what you are doing and the amount of satisfaction you get from it. This way you will monitor your progress or lack thereof. If your not satisfied then think of ways to make that pivot. Then the hard part comes, putting it into action. Action is the key word here.

    

    My friend Dan was married about 4 or 5 times. We were working at Dan's house one day when he gets a call from his ex girl friend , can you come over and give me your opinion on my front steps. He said ok, and I went along for the 40 mile ride. We gave her a price, she wasn't keen on it. Dan was mad because he would do lots of odd jobs for her in the past for free. Dan was trying to get me a job.  I said on way back, why you always doing things for your exes? He said your right, I'm done. I said yeah... A couple years later were working on an art project when he gets a phone call from his girlfriend, an electric switch just shorted out. Could he come fix it. We head on out, when we get there she was entertaining a man. Dan goes off, a bunch of yelling. Dan is still upset but he fixes the switch nonetheless. When we headed back in car, I turn to him remember a couple years ago, you said you were done fixing things for girlfriends? He just glared at me. He still hadn't moved on. Circumstances will repeat until we do what we say were going to do.

    Dan was married either 4 or 5 times, He was getting ready for number 6, running around getting things organized for a couple of months. He was out doing another task for the wedding when he gets words in his head, what are you doing, you don't have to get married. He stopped and thought. Oh, that's right maybe I don't. He cooled it on down and overtime they went their separate ways. Dead end ways were finally over.

    You set a goal and spirit will help you attain that goal. Bringing the circumstance around and around til we do what we said we were going to do. Know who you are and what you want. Be firm about it. Spend time at least once a month going over your goals and asking Spirit for it's help.

4/17/2020. Shamus

     That was a guy I visited every morning, to get my bacon and egg sandwich. It was on a crisp kaiser bun, 5 inches thick. I can taste it like it was yesterday. Always looked forward to crossing his threshold. He was in WW2, worked for the OSS, which was a precursor to the CIA. He was a big guy and gregarious. He would break out in song on occasion. He was fun to josh around with. One day I said God what's wrong with me? Next morning, I walk into his store and before I can get my greeting out, he says you know what's wrong with you. Your'e arrogant, vain, selfish and cold. There was a bunch more, but I didn't have my note pad with me. Darn. So God gave me his answer via Shamus.


     A year later I walked in. And he says hey Dan you're never going to believe this but a guy just left 5 min ago, he looked just like you but he was 10 yrs. older than you.  I can't believe it. A friend of ours had a store across the street. I was good friends with him. He was also a W W2 guy . One day he was in a big park with his family having a good time. He thinks he sees me walking by. I'm a good distance away, he runs after me calling my name. The guy doesn't respond. When he catches up to me, the guy turns and he sees its not me, but a real close resemblance.

    I will have a double story in coming posts. Once I went back to a town I used to live in. It's been15yrs. I'm getting gas and I'm leaning against my vehicle looking across the pump island. Theres a small black sports car getting gas, the guy is in black clothes. He looks a little younger than me, It was the cleaned up version of me. Now that was pretty cool.

4/I5/2020. Death Imminent

    I picked up a paper and an article caught my attention. British couple found dead next to rental car.  Back then rental cars were marked. After this event, they removed icons referencing a rental car. The thugs targeted them, the rental car had them pegged as tourists. The thugs were under 1 8 yrs old. Maybe 4 or5 of them. Dam creeps.

    An event was being held, in the same state that the British couple lost their lives. Now it's a couple yrs later. I got to my beautiful hotel an unpacked. It felt real good soaking in the sunshine and viewing the soft colors of my surroundings, inside and out. I was in a good mood. I had alot of hours to kill, so I decided to take a bus trip, to the outskirt of the city. The park was fantastic, lots of people and animals. I got on the nearest trail, when I came around the bend, there was such a sight. I will never forget. It was like I "walked to the garden of Eden. The sunlight was filtering through the trees, cascading upon the blue pond. Birds of varying shapes and colors were alighting on the water. Kids and parents in their Colorfull clothes all around the area. The way the light hit the green green grass was just magnificent. I felt unbridaled joy enter my heart. This is what life could be. Not a care in the world. I stayed as long as I could. I

    In an hour, dusk would come. I got on the bus, back to my hotel. What a great adventure, I just had. Its dark now and the bus comes to a stop, I hear bus driver say everyone off, I say you got to be kidding me. He said no its the end terminal. So I'm in the bad part of town, a couple miles from the hotel. It's a suburban area. A guy on the bus was now on foot a good distance ahead of me. I stopped arguing with the driver and bounded after the guy. It's getting darker. Within 5 minutes I feel them behind me. I don't look because I know theyre there. I'm thinking about the British couple and to make it to that street lamp up ahead. Have to make it to that light and put my back up against the 8 ft chain link fence. Turn around and the 2 creeps are staring me down. Two black kids. The kid on my left has his right hand in his pocket holding a gun, but I could tell he was faking, the other guy held a bowling ball size piece of concrete. The guy with the crete was the alpha dog. Where you from alpha says, I name the state. All the way from there he says. Yes. Let's have it, I reach for my wallet and purposely give it to the quiet one on the left. That pissed off the crete guy. He angrilly takes it from quiet guy, telling me to deal with him. My main adversary was crete guy. I knew quiet guy would run. Now for that piece of concrete he was holding, I knew for it to do damage he would have to hoist it over his head, once he did that, l would punch him in the stomache. The crete would descend upon his head. There was 4 twenties folded in my left rear pocket, the wallet was in my right rear pocket. When he opened my wallet he saw a whole  8 bucks. He can't believe it, you come down all that way with 8 bucks? Yep. Give me the bag, I hand it to quiet man.  Pissed off alpha again, he pulls out a magazine water bottle and birdseed container. What the? He calls me by my state name, He says Dakota ( not my real state) next time you come visit bring more money with you. With disgust he says you need it more than me puts money back in and hands it to quiet guy who gives it to me. It was over.

    When I had my back to the fence, I thought of my family and said to myself, you did have a good life. No matter what happens I'm good.

    Back at the hotel I bump into my friend and tell him, I think I got mugged. He says what do you mean, you either were or not. I said, well he gave me the money back. Hour later it seemed like everyone knew about what happened to me. Now that's a grapevine

4/14/2020. Dreams can Help

    Dreams can come in all shapes and sizes. Having many meanings as well. Some dreams deal with the future.
     A friend of mine, Jim was renting a room from me. I got along fine with him. He had some gal that he was dating long distance. He would fly out every 4 months, to see her, then fly back. He would send her money through the mail. I told him use a money order, no not him, strictly cash. I said that's stupid. Three months later he said his gal didn't get the money. Told you so. Jim was all in on a life with this gal. 100% for the relationship. Jim was a hard worker, blue collar job, for many years. Jim was starting a new life with her. He took his money and put a downpayment on a piece of mountain property, gorgeous. Things were looking up, exciting. Jim helped her with many issues in her life. I think I talked to her once, sounded real nice. Jim said she was a real looker and felt sorry for her hard life. They were both in love. Good. One day, Jim come to me and says I'll be moving on. Ok and good luck.

    I was to take him to the airport in the morning. That night I had a dream. My dreams about the future are maybe yes, maybe no and no way period. We get in the car and I tell him I had a dream about him. He said he didn't want to know, I said ok. I'll keep it to myself. 10 min later he says tell him, I say you're not going to like it. He had to think about it some more. He says tell me. I told him how my dreams pan out. The dream I had with him said you will not succeed with this gal. He was big Mad. I said own it.

    A month or so later, I hear from him . The relationship tanked. Big brohaha. She accused him of wrecking her life and what not. OMG, He said it came out of the blue. Thats lighting for you.

    A couple weeks after Jim left got the phone bill, it was hefty. He would talk to her frequently during the week at night for 3 hrs straight, long distance. When I was cleaning his room, I found an envelope with stamp affixed. Opened it up..... yep100 dollars green bill. He thought post office didn't mail it. Nope he lost it under bed. The 100 went to phone bill. He left 2 items behind, one I kept and the other I sold. Yes it covered the 750 dollar phone bill. I guesed, he really loved that gal.

4/13/2020. Mike

 

     Mike was my buddy, I used to work for him on occasion. He was an elderly Jewish man. One day he was out watering the newly planted grass on a Saturday. A fellow Jew was walking to temple, he stopped and asked Mike, why you watering the grass on the Sabbath? Mike said, oh I just planted this grass a week ago. Now God likes things to live and if I don't water it, it will surely die. The Jew walked away shaking his head. Mike would always be out there watering, cutting the grass and trimming the bushes the best he could. And he world do it wearing a full suit and dress shoes. I never asked him why. Mike and me would play chess once in awhiIe. He bared his arm and showed me his name, I think there were four or five numbers in a horizontal row, in blue ink. He said he got that when he stepped through the gate of Belsen Garten, I think that was the camp. They the guards kept him off to the side, because he was a strong one. The weak would perish. He would haul the dead to be buried. Always looking for scraps of food. Mike just one more day. I never asked him about being liberated, I should have though.

    Mike came to the US soon after the war, with 3 bucks to his name. Landed in NYC, he was walking on a street looking for any type of work. He is by himself now, everyone is dead. Up ahead he sees a store front... help wanted. He goes in and walks out loaded with fuller brush paraphenalia. He is now a door to door salesman. At the end of the day, He only made 3 bucks. He sat on a stoop dejected. A black woman eventually walked by, she said why so sad? He said I only made 3 dollars today. She looked at his stuff and said come to my church after Sunday service. He did and sold alot of product. Fuller brush was very happy and so was Mike. Soon Mike took a job in the garment sector. He was an eager learner. knowledge is king.

    He took another job away from the city. Still in the garment industry, he saved his money and soon got married. He went to a mason and told him what he wanted in a house. It got done. Soon, it was time to venture out for himself. He made plans to open his own buisness. He found a store off the main street of stores near the cemetary. He told his wife, she said who you going to sell to, the dead people. Mike walked to the beat of his own drummer. He signed the papers, from 3 dollars to sole business man. Getting people to the garment store was a problem. A radio show came to his help. Mike was smart, he made sure that his I min ad came on 5 min before 6 am. The school closings would begin 6 am. For  30 yrs, it was the same ad. Kids would come into his shop and say the catch phrase, it saves to walk the extra block. Mike was successful. When other people were contrary Mike said it will be done. And he did.

    I life well lived. One day I drove by and I noticed his car was gone for a long time. I stopped by, I said Mike wheres the car? Oh, he said one day I was driving in town and hit a car. I say so what thats what insurance is for. No he said the car was a cop car. Mike was 88 and his family used that incident to pull his license. Sorry Mike. A year later, I didn't. see Mike out in his yard. I stop, Mike what happened? He tripped in the street visiting a neighbor, broke his hip. About 6 months later his wife couldn't take care of him anymore. I visited him in the nursing home, he was not happy. He wanted me to take him home. I said I couldn't. He balled up a fist and caught me in the arm. Boy, for 89 he hit good. Poor Mike, he died 6 mos later.

    I had a dream one night there was Mike in the dark save for an old fashioned lamp post that was lit up, he was holding on to the post. I know the light will guide him onward. Good to know you Mike.

4/12/2020. Death. Camp

    The first week of life, I was baptised a christian. When I got older I went to Sunday school for awhile. It was ok but I didn't go to church. My parents believed in the golden rule, do on to others as you would want them to do to you. That in a nut shell was their belief. Sounded good to me. At the dentist office, they had a childrens bible that I would read before seeing the doc. Later I became agnostic. At 13 we had to watch a movie called Night and Fog. The French went into the death camps in 1945, they had movie projectors. It was in French. They showed everything. I walked out after hour and a half being an athieist. Everyone at 13 should see this movie... mandatory. There wouldn't be any white surpremists walking around today.
    I dated this gal, who got to know my views. One day I say let's go out Sat afternoon. She said she couldn't, she had to find a shirt for her father's birthday. I said I'll go with you, she said no, it's a special shirt. It's a nazi era shirt. I said excuse me, what did you say? I got it right the first time. So thats why she would always direct me to different doors when I came over, front door side door, she was keeping me from bumping into him. Smart girl. That relationship soon ended../

     This story I heard, I hope it to be true. A US soldier was in a death camp 1945. He sees a prisoner that doesn't look like the rest of them. He walks on up to him and says, you look way better than your comrades, why is that? He said when I came here I was like the rest of them, miserable, sad and I wanted to kill the guards. I felt like this for a long time I caught a glimpse of myself one day in a mirror, I did not like what I saw. I was becoming just like the guards. I said to myself No it stops here. I will focus on the good inside me.

4/11/20 20. Monkey. See

    I remember when there was a comercial on tv, that showed a close relationship between father and son. They were doing fun activities together. The father then unrolls a pack of cigarettes from his short sleeve shirt and removes a cigarette out, puts it in his mouth and lights it. The 6 yr old tow head then lifts up the pack of cigs and gives it a quizzical look. Ain't that the truth.


     One bright sunny day, I was in this huge park, enjoying the weather and the hundreds of people milling about. Off to the right of me, stood a heavy steel garbage can. A 7 y r old girl was just finishing her hot dog, she takes the wrappings and tosses them hard upon the ground. They land only 3 ft from the trash can. I rush over and like a windmill I go down with my hand grabbing the refuse and dropping it into the can in one full swoop. I didn't say a word. The mother was10' away and she didn't say anything either. The girl looked stunned. I was still nearby doing what I was doing. A couple minutes later the girl was done with her drink, she walks it over to the trash can and plops it in, looking at me as she did it with a little smile. I just nodded my head in an affirmative. No words spoken throughout the encounter.



    I alIways went to work the same way. I passed over this very small bridge with woods to the left and right. I would notice litter here all the time,  this place was the favorite dumping ground, I said the town should do something about this. Another month went by and it was getting worse. I said the town isn't going to get it done. I'm the one who wants it done, i'm the one to do it. The day came and I was prepared with sturdy plastic bags in hand, I set to work. Spent a little over an hour and left bags to the side of road. I looked at my handiwork, and boy did I f eel good. Mother Nature put back together.

    Two days later, someone took the bags. A year later, I was driving toward bridge and saw a guy and daughter with plastic bags cleaning the same offending area. Boy, did that feel just great.

4/ 9/2020. Wisconsin

    All of my family was bom in one state, except me. Yep ... that state is Wisconsin. I thought it was pretty cool, the badger state. I don't think it's very cool anymore. This weeks events sealed it. The Gov of the state delayed the voting process so it's residents would be protected in this virus era.
The state supreme court over ruled the Gov and the US supreme court said the voting would proceed despite the hardship the citizens would have to endure. The US supreme court issued their decree from the safety of their homes. I never thought I would see the day. I'm done with Wisconsin.

4/ 8/2020. A Kick in the Pants

   Complacency another word for not moving forward. A lot of times its just easier to sit back and chill or stew..
   One day the jobs stopped coming in. I didn, t like that one bit. Got up early one morning and I said to myself you don't have to get up early today, there's no work. I think I'll just go back to bed. No sooner than I said that, the phone rang, it was one of my clients. She needed some work done today. In a flash,  I was out the door. The client said I bet I know why you came so fast, the money. Darn tootin I said. Spirit waited right up to the point I gave up. Then the phone call came. After that the jobs kept coming once again. I got myself in that box because I was a bad advertiser, lazy. Spirit let me know it was there for me, Spirit let me know one day years later I was out of work.  My 8yr old nephew looked at me and said get a job, Now! And I did, it was a bad job for me. Running around all creation delivering letters for not much money using your car and gas and no rumer nation for it. The little money it was, did help.

   After an event my group held. I was talking to some people, we were being gossipy about someone else, I felt something warm on my leg. Put my hand down there and brought it up, it was red( blood), my blood. I got the meaning right away wound the group conciousness wound yourself. That was a good kick in the pants if there ever was one.


   Me and a buddy of mine, where hanging around a city after an event being held there. The event was over. Four hours later some stranger says, ain't it time for you guys to be moving on? I got back into my truck and started long trip back. made it to the foothills, when the first snow flakes hit the windshield. I didn't pay attention back then about the forecast, stupid me. It was a major snow storm barreling in on me. Those strangers words got me moving, it was still early and I made it through the foothills before the snow could get a good grip of the road. The next leg was relatively flat. But that storm was fierce. Had a hard time. The ice stuck to the wipers and the defrost couldn't keep up. It left me with a little clear spot near the vent next to the windshield. I had to scrouch down to see through it. The storm was heading east, where I wanted to go, but I decided to head south to get away from it. I decided25 mph was a good speed on the interstate, lessen the blow if I got rear ended. Could only see 25 ft in front of me. There are these little green rectangles of metal that sit on gray metal stakes off to the side of road. I drove the truck by keeping the same distance from those markers. for nine hrs, I drove like that. In that amount of time no one passed me, nor did I pass anyone. No cops. No18 wheelers. People going north was zero. Had the whole road to myself. For the first time, I was king of the road. I sucessfully out rode the storm, to the point where there was not a flake on the road. I stopped the truck on bare ground got out walked back to the line of snow on pavement. It was like 45 degree angle on road surface. My left foot was on solid ice and my right foot on bare macadam.  Wow. What a ride. On the north side of Highway a thousand feet up, lay on it's side a large van, not a cargo one. He must have been book in, then hit the brakes and on to your side you go.

 

4/ 7/2020. Sitting on a Fence

    Not a pleasant place to be. It's a place where you don't know what to do next. The longer you sit there the wor.se you feel. Stagnation..... ick. I was sitting on that fence for four months. The pros and cons of what to do, what to do next. They're were good things about the relationship and then they' re were the bad. Being on that fence was excruciating. I had to make a choice and soon. I was leaning toward an ending. I pulled the stick that broke the camels back. It had to be done. I wound up throwing myself out of the house. I went to my pops house and told him what happened, he said ok but she goes and you stay. I hit myself on the side of my head. That's right ....what was I thinking? Went back to the house and told her I got it wrong your'e leaving not me. So the following Sunday, I had some peace but I was still mad. Next week I wrote a letter to her, in my head I get don't mail it. I say no, I'm mailing it. Get in my truck and head to post office. I'm about1/4 mile from home , when a bird dives bomb into the front of my truck's grill. No more bird. That was a sign, so I didn't mail the letter. In hindsight I'm glad I didn't mail it. Spirit took two tries to deliever the message , the second registered with me. It was a pivot point for me, painfull but necessary. I believe I got a better life henceforth.

      So if you find yourself on a fence, do make a choice for the betterment of your life, as well. It will be for the good of all involved.

4/6/2020. A Mirror

   It was a beautifull day in Miami. Up the ramp and I was merging onto the interstate' I got behind an old pickup truck. It had it's tailgate down with something flat laying in it's bed. I didn't think anything of it. I'm cruising around 60 mph. I'm About 75 ft behind him. I'm following him for about10 min. The cargo is thin 4 ft wide6 long it starts to move slowly toward the rear of the truck, before I knew it, it hit the ground in front of me. Shattering into a million pieces of glass. Yep you guessed it, it was a mirror. Big and heavy and loud when it hit the pavement. My tires went over the glass to no ill affect and I kept on going, right behind the old pickup truck. He didn't even know he lost his load.  I bet he was shocked when he got to his destination. Next time I bet when he carries a load his tailgate will be up and/ locked.


     My friend and I entered a diner one afternoon. I noticed a guy sitting off to the left, as we take our seats at the counter, my friend says did you see that? I say, see what?  That guy sitting over there he says. I say yeah, what of it? Well, that quy is arrogant. The guy was sitting in a chair with his foot up on another chair. I told my friend, I didn't see it that way. He says well I do.
   The world is our own mirror. My friend couldn't admit it to himself, but he was the one who was arrogant. By looking at what you say and do, you will learn a heck of alot about yourself. It's hard to admit our own faults. Relationships are one of the best places to learn all about you. What ever problem you have and you are blaming someone else. Stop, and reflect, how am I like that? I fall down on this issue alot. But I get back up.-


   I was having a discussion with this gal about spiritual topics. We have had these talks many times. One day in the course of a talk, she told me my husband is cheap. I tell her she is cheap. She says I'm not cheap, I give to this organization and that one, plus I volunteer for good causes. I tell her it isn't tit for tat. I say you are stingy to the amount of love you give to him. She didn't say one word. The truth was out. It's hard work. Keep an open mind, keep an open heart. Look and listen, you will learn all about yourself.

4/5/2020. Animals know

  It's been noticed that animals act strangely just before an earthquake. They are tipped off. We too can do this also.

  I have a couple stories to tell regarding this. One day I was working at a ladies house, she had two dogs and a cat. One of the dogs was old and blind about 35 pounds. The cat liked to sit in the bay window looking into the great beyond. The blind dog come out of a bedroom gliding along the walls. He turns to the kitchen. The cat jumps down from the window and runs to an open door in the  kitchen, this door led to the basement. The cat positioned itself in the open doorway, as the dog neared, the cat sat back on it's haunches. Using it's front paws it patted the dog The dog entered the kitchen with no mishap. I was blown away. So amazing. The cat looked alfoof but it knew and had comand of it's environment. Empathy from a cat.



  The second story.  I was breaking up with a gal that I was living with. She had a small dog 11 pounds. We were at the side yard,  I said what are you going to do about the dog? This dog was a one person dog, it would always be at her feet when she was sitting down. She said I'm not taking him, as soon as she said that the dog walked over to me, I was standing and sat next to my right foot. Just like that I was the new alpha dog. This totally blew me away. That dog knew which side of the bread his butter was on. I changed his name to boney and had him for another 15 yrs. We got along   great.

  God is in charge.

4/4/2020. Wakeup Call

  People throughout their lives get wakeup calls once in awhile. This country gets wakeup calls also. 9/11, the 2007-2008 meltdown and now covid19 virus. These are all pivot points.  Stay the same go back or go forward. Most of the time it's a prodding to move on. Make a change. I believe wakeup calls are there for our benefit. When it's real important the calls will get closer together. Especially in your own life. For the the US it's 3 times in 20 years. On our currency it says In God We Trust.  Well do it on a daily basis.  Make God a part of your life. How do you do it? Ask  God to help in some aspect of your life. Formulate a question. Keep an open mind. Be a detective in a search for an answer.

  I'll give you an example. Once I began to experience a headache sometime during the day. I did not get headaches, maybe 2 a year. This was new to me. I didn't like it. So I asked God what is going on here? No answer came. About 3 days later I'm going to work. I start up the sidewalk to a house. I see a girl walking toward me on the main sidewalk.  She is wearing a white hoodie. From her right shoulder down to her  waist is a huge Hershey bar, printed on the fabric. I always liked the dark chocolate bar. I would eat 1 in the morning. I always ate them. I took note though.
The next day, I did not eat 1 as same as the next day. I noticed that the headaches disappeared. I was very thankfull. He gave me a sign and I used it. God is there after all. Always has been and always will be. That I know  beyond a shadow of a doubt. This is like having a super friend always on call. The answer will come in time.

4/3/2020. A. Prayer

I just thought of this


Hello God please show me how to be a better me
Thank you

4/3/2020 Mom

  When growing up I had some issues. I did like living. I was outside alot exploring somewhere. I was the oldest and tormented my sisters quite a bit. I was not nice. When it came to introspection, I was deficient.
One day walking back from school I rounded a street corner to my street. Across the street a girl my age who lived down the block said Kennedy got shot. I said you lie you stupid girl!  When I entered the kitchen mom was crying over a big pot of stew. I said to her hey mom this dumb girl said Kennedy got shot. She didn't answer me. She was still crying. I turned away thinking ohoh dumb girl was right.


My world changed that day, a month earlier I just turned 7. Nov22 1963 I will not forget you. I watched the funeral on tv. Bad people out there. Two years later Vietnam started heating up. I watched Huntley Brinkly report Mon thru Fri, pop in his chair me on the floor. Young men going off to war.
In my brain it was what for. The world is nuts. I said to myself I'm not going to kill anybody. What was wierd though I played war games outside with my buddies , I would use a good stick that looked like a gun. When Bob came around the house  I'd say bam got you Bob and he would have to count to 100.


I continued to pick fights with my sisters and mom.

One day I was at the principal's office.  There was an
acquaintance of mine  standing 10 ft from me. He didn't look too happy. One of the saddest person I ever saw. His folks were taking him out of school to go off to the military. I appreciated my folks right then and there.

  Many years later me and mom would have little fights. I would push her buttons and she mine. Then  one day I said to myself it ends today. Early morning she came in room and said something not nice. I said nothing. Got up and left for work
 The next morning she walks into kitchen I immediately say something positive to her. She promptly said something nice to me. Them I went to work. From then on we were best friends. No more fights.

  We are our own worst enemy. Change your words and actions before it's too late for you.
   Change is in the air.

4/2/2020. Words and Thoughts are Powerfull

    Here is a story that happened to me, more than 20 yrs ago.

A relationship that I had with this gal was coming to an end and I wasn't too happy about it. She eventually moved to another state. About 6 months later a  hurricane was heading right where she was living

The weather station was on all the time in my house. For three days the storm was making a bee line toward where she lived. I was happy about that

 The storm was almost there. Then the storm paused, it was just sitting there off the coast for a day. The next day it moved dead north. I said to myself ohoh it"s coming to me. I was going in and out of the house, the tv always on the weather channel. Around the fifth time I pass I hear from tv loud and clear. Carefull what you wish on others it will come back to you.

I got the message and I knew it was going to get me

And it did putting 5 ft of water in my basement. Stopping  1 ft from my main living area.

  I got the message loud and clear. I learned  my lesson. I appreciated that lesson. 

4/1/2020 Two Steps Back

Perspective  is to view an object or someone from differing angles, to get better insight.

Let's take an artist who is painting  a rural scene
After a week of painting she feels that something is  not quite right. She takes a few steps back and says to herself  yes something is off. But I  can't put my finger on it.

She can try 3 things. One ask God(or someone or something that fills her heart with love) for help.
In her mind she hears look to the left of the horse's head. She does and uses some different paint  colors to fix it. Two.... maybe a guy enters the studio at a later time. He comes over to the canvass and says something is wierd to the left of the horse's head. This guy is not a painter. If she doesn't take offense . She can take his critique and address the weak part of the painting. Three.... she can ask to have a dream about her situation.  When she wakes up she recalls that in the dream she was painting to the left of the horse's head.
Each of those steps was from a different perspective.


This column was longer  but my phone ran out of juice. When I got the phone back on  I lost the article . Not a good feeling but I learned a good lesson  moving forward.