One comment on Current Events! (For Today)

The United States is completely delusional. There is no competition. China is on par and ahead in many areas and just no longer needs anything from the United States. You can talk, Uighur, Tianne man Square, Mao's 80+M killed. It does not matter anymore. We wanted China to be like the west and now they are beating the west at their game and not converting wholesale to democracy. China is currently working and yes there are issues, but they are largely China issues. Bottom Line: The United States is on a decline due to stupidity in all critical areas of government and leadership.

I wrote the above in the comments to an article similar in content to the one copied below. 

Has the U.S. lost its dominance to China? : NPR

I spent 37 years, my entire adult life serving the United States, first in the USAF (20 Yrs) and then roughly 17 years in a variety of roles, ending at the Pentagon as a Program Element Monitor. USAF acquisition employs military and civilians to work in the Pentagon to assist with the development of the future years budgets, coordination with Congress and the rest of the many stakeholders in the Pentagon. That is what I did for the last 8 years until I resigned in April 2026!

What is happening in our White House is not anything I ever envisioned being allowed to happen in this country. Living in a nation's decline is hard to watch. We can turn it around but the only way is for every American no matter what you believe or don't; has to vote Democrat...just this once (well twice - Mid-Term and Presidential). 

Nothing that this new crop of socialist democrats are talking about will see the light of day at the national level in any meaningful way. That is not a reason to vote Republican in any way shape or form. 

Our lives depend on it and that is the first time in my life I have truly felt this way. 

Motivation & Beauty

 

  I took this picture a couple of weeks ago at Curtis Lake in Hartwood, Va. This is where my wife and I go fishing. I act like I have a clue and take pictures and my wife actually catches all the catfish. It is just a beautiful, natural image taken with my phone. 

Images like this keep me grounded and appreciative of the time I do have on this planet, to make the most of being outside as often as possible. 

Catching Up!

 Time is so relative. No way it's been 5 years, but here we are. 

So many things have happened in my life. I have two grandkids now! 

I have also succumbed to my personal addictions and lost a part of me that I'm just coming to grips with. 

Lot happening in the world to say the least. 

But I plan to now, with all this time on my hands to write finally and intentionally. 

As a way to support myself (initially) with my own personal recovery I am going to share a concept of use of the letter C A R E to articulate a daily model to order my own day by. 

I have been working on this for the better part of a year and have it in a form that will allow me to accomplish some specific goals. 

1. Daily reflection and intention setting

2. Prayer and meditation focused on a specific item that will show up in the C A R E rubric of positive affirmations and reading

3. Physical commitment

MORE TO COME for real this time. 

I think I read somewhere once...

 I couldn't think of anything to write as a headline or anything. In my lifetime; I don't recall shit around the world everywhere just looking so bleak. It is a dichotomy though! (i actually got to use that word in something i am writing and it fits)

Afghanistan; where the hell to start with that one? I was listening to NPR the other day and the person on the call or interview suggested the US involvement in Afghanistan pre-dated the Soviet Invasion? I need to validate or at least run down some of the assumptions he made but I do know the US has been directly involved since at least before the Soviets invaded. Not sure in what capacity though and it changes nothing about my feelings on the current situation. 

Could not have chosen a worst course of action to leave the country. Horrific and sickening to watch this end this way. There is so much to unpack, study, digest, internalize and then make fundamental change to how we conduct foreign policy. I could add a video here of the C-17 plane or the bombing in Kabul the other day but I just won't keep adding to the insanity. We need to change or this is the beginning of the end for America. Something about the 21st century and that is...everything is sped up. Technology and the way we use it have sped up every cycle you can think. The news cycle has been on hyperdrive for over a decade now and that means situations like this can be absorbed and forgotten, when we need to pause and really capture what the fuck happened and institute change. 

This morning for instance on the drivel they call news; NBC4 in Washington DC decides that Sunday morning at 6am is the time to show the photos of the Marines that died. Sadistic mothafucka's. We have not even fully withdrawn from the place; the bodies have not been properly laid to rest, and now at the very beginning of our morning these retarded ratings hounds disrespect these men and women. I don't need to see their photos to understand the sacrifice they made. This is the sick shit we have to deal with. Then NBC4 justed move on the next segment; talking about whatever the fuck came up next. 

Had to get that shit off my chest. This is fucking therapy for me at this moment. I wish I could walk around like other people (don't want to put a % because i have no idea what other people think) I have observed who just seemingly don't give a fuck. Maybe everyone is doing what I am doing and writing all this down to get it out of their system. When you think about it; that is what twitter and all those apps let people do. Get shit out; express themselves. There are downsides to those apps and websites for sure. Humans always seem to figure out a way to fuck shit up and make it creepy and shady but...expression can help for most of us. 

AWAKENING

PONDER

It occured to me somehow that the technology associated with the Apple Mouse would be interesting to know and share. How did they pull the ability for the mouse; without a distinctive dividing line know if I am left clicking or right clicking? Interested to know...

EPIPHANY

We are here to influence forward!

Everything we do impacts future events; small or large. Every movement and thought put into practice or action has influence in ways we cannot accurately calculate. Think about that concept. DEEPLY 

Capture 1

Keeping this separate from the rest of the shit I write down. 

Decided to start jotting down shit as it come to me.

Calling my mother later; have a nephew fresh from jail. Have to just force myself into these folks lives. Men in my family are men. We don't talk and we need to. 

21 July 2021

Starting a couple of books

Doing Justice...Preet Bharara #crime and Keise Laymon (I will get back on the title) 

Meanwhile enjoy thishttps://music.amazon.com/albums/B003KYKY3Q?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&trackAsin=B003KYKYFE

This is like the modern day Hard Times from Run DMC 

https://music.amazon.com/albums/B01ACSXBJQ?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&trackAsin=B01ACSXIWG

Sam Cooke saved, so I can come back to this

David Baldacci gotta read one of his every time i fly more than two hours from now on. Perfect stuff to be on a plane with. 

Had to run and catch the commuter train this morning. I can run with neuropathy and i need to do it. Prove it can be done. Document this shit. Emergence. Cancer, personal addiction and just every day! 

Damn. Take pictures and just start with some basics for 30 days. 

So many things in our lives will change if you do this. 30 day check!

ls there ever actually a "New" year?

 2021...30 years ago i actually never thought humanity would make it this far!

Time seems to be something of a continuum interrupted by human invention increments like years, months, days...etc. 

We are in our eternity at all times!