Almost There....

Almost…there

Time moves faster
As the day draws nearer
And, we are carried along
Bouncing rapidly
To these days of brevity.
Wrinkles are drawn
In the appropriate corners
Which bring us closer
Enriching entirely
Those exciting moments of revelry.
Links are enforced
Through our entire being
That allow us to grow
Blossoming similarly
On past the day we marry.

This poem spells out some of the thoughts and feelings my wife and I experienced while we were dating...

Be Human

I am not one to share political views in public, but I ran across some old mail recently with a message inside. This passage was taken from a piece written back in 1995. It was supposedly sent to 20+ major newspapers in the US. It was not printed in any of them since it was anonymous (which is a good practice), but somehow found its way into my hands. The specific regions mentioned within aside, the message still remains...Be Human...

Dear fellow human beings:

From the massive onslaughts in the Persian Gulf, Kuwait, and Bosnia, to the rampant exploits in California, Texas, and Oklahoma, I have sat by and watched. I have watched our horrible displays of humanity run wild not on other simple and innocent creatures as they once did, but on our very species. I have watched as people have gotten slapped, stabbed, shot, and seared to their very soul. I have watched these useless degrading acts of violence, and am literally disgusted by them. As human beings we are to be superiors and guardians for the rest of this now war torn world. We, as people, are to be kings and queens of this once beautiful kingdom, but we have singed, scorched, and all but incinerated this realm. We are left with almost nothing. So, instead of living long and prospering, here we must sit, in the all consuming nothingness. The world has really become too much with us.

I have just one simple question: WHY?
Why do you continue to hurt your neighbor? Why do you thirst for that evil entity of power? Do you think this will bring about happiness? Well, your assumptions are WRONG! Only by promoting peace and happiness, will we eventually achieve it. Think about it: If you want a glass of water, do you ask for vinegar? Of course not.

I beseech of you, STOP the MADNESS, the INSANITY, the VIOLENCE! If you do not, no one will, and eventually, maybe sooner than later, the weapons we have created to end our existence, will do just that. Please, stop all of your futile procrastinating and BE HUMAN! For your own sake!

Since this world is so deep in hypocrisy,
I sign this simply,

ME

Epitaph of the Human Race

Angels once before,
Now no more.
Loved life,
But only their own,
This clearly shown,
When they finally cracked
From all the strife.

Lost in space,
Lost in time,
No more reason or rhyme.
No more excuses will be made,
As too many games
These hypocrites have played.

Reflections within Placidity - Music in Motion

The feathered ones float aimlessly by
On the soft curvaceous body of the breeze,
Gently gliding amidst the white fluffy pillows
Of the brilliant blue expanse.
Those of aqueous nature meander instinctively
Upon the smooth perpetual ripples of the waves,
Silently skimming the colorless surface
Of the mystical deep.
Wide-eyed woodland creatures roam freely
Over the peaceful verdant terrain of the forest,
Beautifully blending with the other natural residents
Of the rich earthly realm.
I can do nothing,
Except become engulfed within the placidity.

So fresh. So peaceful. So Alive!

My heavy eyelids flutter and I am thrust into yet another state of being. Fragments of thought begin to swirl around and around, searching for a sturdy place on which to rest. Words literally float by, attempting not to collide. Each concept, each idea, seems to find a suitable safe haven: "Peace"…"Insanity"…"Memory"…"Loss"…"Pure-delight"…"Sorrow."

Silence engulfs me. Before I am able to open my eyes half way, one last word comes crashing down on top of the others. It is surrounded by an intense light and a loud harmonious note: "HOPE!"

The vision fades and I am left to the silence once again.

As I drift back to a somewhat conscious state, I see the conductor's arms swing rapidly upward, then fall just as swiftly. Loud clamors of trumpets and trombones erupt with each downbeat and continue with each enthusiastic sweep of the baton. Trilling flutes and clarinets manage to squeak through every now and then with their light little doodles. The pleasant sounds of the oboe and my vision, however, are no more. I frown in somewhat of despair.

Brief flashbacks to my land of wonder occur throughout the remainder of the piece, but none as permanent or as real as before. The corners of my mouth take on a more acute angle as I say to myself, "That was the most beautiful sound I have ever..." I stop myself short considering the implications of that thought, as well as the great extent I still need to hear. It was wonderful though.

The piece comes to an end and I drift back to a more conscious state. I rise and join in the applause of my fellow audience members, showing our appreciation to the orchestra. The conductor bows a few times, turns toward the orchestra, and signals them to do the same. In unison, they rise, bow, and proceed to exit from the stage. One by one they disappear. I sit down and stare at the quickly emptying stage.

Education and Teaching

It is always interesting how many schools today find it necessary to "teach" to a test. "We're behind," they say...Or, my favorite, "Well, they have to learn something..."

There are so many things to worry about in schools today. What happened to the learning component? What happened to education? What ever happened to applying what has been learned?

Educators are in the classroom in order to provide an opportunity for the students to learn while helping to prepare them for the future they will face head on once out of school. Facts and figures can be found in books. However, opening one's mind to new ideas and establishing a relevance can only be enabled by a teacher. Show the students that they can think, not how. Show the students the wonders of the mind, not the abyss of futility.

People, Cell phones, and Restrooms

OK, so you would think that by now, the whole cell phone in the bathroom would be an obvious bad idea for the caller and the person on the other end...

For those of you who talk on your cell phone going into the restroom, even if you are in a stall, everyone, yes, everyone, can hear your side of the conversation...and, if we are all lucky, the autistics are just right, and you happen to turn up your volume, we can hear the entire conversation...

I walked into the restroom of a fairly popular restaurant/entertainment center recently and while people were filing in and out and the noise outside was at a fairly high level, I could hear the following conversation over the stall...

"Yeah...Yeah...well, alright..."

Then came the sentence that burned its way into my ears...

"Well, OK, let me wipe, and I'll call you back..."

"Let me wipe, and I'll call you back?" So, I guess the good thing is that it was not a mystery to the person on the other end about where the person was when they were talking. However, whatever happened to etiquette? What ever happened to respecting people when you talk to them? I guess that went the way of holding the door when someone has their hands full...but that is for another rambling...

Tales Scale - Tabloid

Little Voices Jumping from My iPod

OK, OK, so after the restroom story, I just needed a mental break...however, I have been noticing that listening to Podcasts can be a little addictive and not too much of a "mental" break...

Last week, I was driving home and the TWiT podcast had ended. I, however, kept hearing Leo Laporte's voice telling me about his new phone. I looked down at the iPod and was a little disturbed to find that the show was over. I just chucked it up to the ending and started another.

A couple of days ago, I was heading into work, and as normal days, I was listening to The Daily Giz Wiz. They were talking about the Mio GPS. It is a pretty cool little device that I can't justify purchasing right now. Give me a few more days, I'll find some reason...However, as my wife and I talked later that day about getting a simple, yet usable GPS for the many road trips we take, my response was..."Sure, I think I know of a couple...my friends, Dick and Leo mentioned something just the other day..." Now, the good thing is my wife knows my friends...she also knows that I listen to these Podcasts...needless to say, she was a little worried.

I took a break from listening to the Podcasts for a while...however, it is like they are just sitting there on my computer, waiting for me to return...waiting to share more...waiting to move from the little voice, to a more actionable purchasing beast...kidding...really, just kidding... If you haven't heard any of the great things from TWiT or know who Dick DeBartolo is, check out their sites. If you enjoy tech, you will definitely enjoy their conversations and antics...If you are a spouse of someone who enjoys technology, talk to them about the little voice before they enter too far into being...it will effect their wallets for months to come...

Tales Scale - Classic

Everlasting

Everlasting

The awe and wonder we share
Astounds me always.
We grow, we bloom, we blossom…
Together.
Our bond strengthens
With every step
And intensifies incredibly
With each new inkling
Of love.
An end is not in sight,
Rather an eternal eruption
Of our own eternity
Is inevitable and everlasting.

This poem spells out some of the thoughts and feelings my wife and I experienced while we were dating...

Meeting a "guru" & Flying with the Seagulls

Many times stories we cherish start with someone else. Sometimes we may view that person as a guru. A guru becomes someone who we look up to...someone who has answers for us even before we ask the questions. It can be intimidating, exhilarating, and exhausting all in the same breath.

Quite a few years back, I was granted the good fortune of meeting with Richard Bach. While our paths of influence have crossed down different paths along the way, I will always remember and benefit from our meeting. A meeting that may not have occurred if I wasn't looking for the right story...a meeting that may not have happened if my own storyline had been altered even the slightest.

While many may not be able to identify with what I was feeling by meeting Richard for the first time, I am sure you have felt that way about someone else whom you have or would like to meet. The title is the link to an abbreviated story about my encounter.

If you haven't read his books, check them out at your local bookstore or online...

Illusions has always been a favorite...