I ...

Another Meme...

I am: Blogging (duh)!
I think: too much, I analyze everything (alt answer: Therefore I am).
I know: plenty, but sometimes have difficulty in putting it into practice when its personal.
I have: never been bored.
I wish: I could escape the present and go to a happier time in my past as a vacation.
I hate: corruption and people who use people.
I miss: my son.
I fear: the future.
I hear: the TV or Stereo in the background.
I smell: Christmas cookies.
I crave: companionship.
I search: for justice.
I wonder: what the future will hold, will I be able to recover?
I regret: that the courts have destroyed so much of me.
I love: my son, more than I could have imagined.
I ache: when I think of the last four years and its devastation.
I am not: happy.
I believe: right and wrong are less complicated than today’s society would have you believe.
I dance: slow and close.
I sing: solo rarely, I need to sing in a group.
I cry: more often as I reflect on what has happened to me in the last four years.
I fight: for the principles I believe in.
I win: when the game isn’t rigged.
I lose: when I let people get under my skin.
I never: give up easily.
I always: think, my mind never shuts off.
I confuse: what is and what should be.
I listen: to a wide variety of music.
I can usually be found: near a computer.
I am scared: about the future.
I need: access to my son.
I am happy about: my life as it was in the 20th century, this century has me in a tailspin.
I imagine: Nothing! I should try to visualize a time when I will be healed.
I tag: whoever wants to play…

Status: First Draft - Last updated 12/29/08 5:30 PM

Have you really lived?

Noticed this on another blog and thought I'd play along...

No - 1. Touched an iceberg
Yes - 2. Slept under the stars
No - 3. Been a part of a hockey fight

But I did have to break up some fights at a Rolling Stone concert, see #1 at bottom.

Yes - 4. Changed a baby's diaper
Yes - 5. Watched a meteor shower
Yes - 6. Given more than you can afford to charity
Yes - 7. Swim with wild dolphins
Yes - 8. Climbed a mountain
No - 9. Held a tarantula

But I held a baby alligator and "wrestled a grown alligator".

Yes - 10. Said "I love you" and meant it

I even said "I do" till "death due us part" and meant it. I heard "what God has joined, let no man put asunder". But in today's disposable, secular (don't mention God) society, that just doesn't hold true. But I have another blog on those topics.

No - 11. Bungee jumped
Yes - 12. Visited Paris
No - 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

But I have seen a water spout (like a tornado over a large lake) and I also saw a rainbow from a prop plane, in the air they are a complete circle.

Yes - 14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
No - 15. Seen the Northern Lights
Yes - 16. Gone to a huge sports game
Yes - 17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty

And I took photos out of the crown of the book

Yes - 18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
Yes - 19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
Yes - 20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
No - 21. Had a pillow fight
No - 22. Bet on a winning horse
Yes - 23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
Yes - 24. Built a snow fort
Yes - 25. Held a lamb
No - 26. Gone skinny dipping
No - 27. Taken an ice cold bath
Yes - 28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
Yes - 29. Seen a total eclipse
Yes - 30. Ridden a roller coaster

When I was a kid, don't much like them now

Yes - 31. Hit a home run
Yes - 32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
No - 33. Adopted an accent for fun
Yes - 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

Met relatives that still lived in Ireland and found the burial site of a distant relative.

Yes - 35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
Yes - 36. Loved your job 90% of the time
Yes - 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

xx

No - 38. Watched wild whales
No - 39. Gone rock climbing
Yes - 40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
No - 41. Gone sky diving
Yes - 42. Visited Ireland

Met relatives, found major areas in the lives of ancestors.

Yes - 43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
No - 44. Visited India
No - 45. Bench-pressed your own weight
No - 46. Milked a cow
No - 47. Alphabetized your personal files
No - 48. Ever worn a superhero costume
No - 49. Sung Karaoke
Yes - 50. Lounged around in bed all day
No - 51. Gone scuba diving

But I did go snorkeling over a coral reef. Also went in a submarine exploring the area too.

Yes - 52. Kissed in the rain
Yes - 53. Played in the mud
No - 54. Gone to a drive-in theater

But will try to do this soon.

Yes - 55. Done something you should regret, but don't
No - 56. Visited the Great Wall of China
No - 57. Started a business

But I was a director in a small startup, reporting to the president and participated in every facet of building the business from inception to close.

No - 58. Taken a martial arts class
No - 59. Been in a movie

But my wife and I were at the hotel where they filmed Pelican Brief and saw celebrities and the filming every day.

No - 60. Gone without food for 3 days
No - 61. Made cookies from scratch
No - 62. Won first prize in a costume contest

But I won second prize in a photo contest for maker made print (hand printed in my own chemical darkroom) and third prize for a zoo photo contest.

Yes - 63. Got flowers for no reason
No - 64. Been in a combat zone
No - 65. Spoken more than one language fluently

Well not fluently, you need lots of years experience to do that, but good enough to be understood while out of the country.

No - 66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
Yes - 67. Bounced a check
Yes - 68. Read - and understood - your credit report
No - 69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

But my son explores my attic and we play with my old childhood toys together.

Yes - 70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
Yes - 71. Called or written your Congress person
No - 72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

But there are several cities I know so well from the large amount of time I've spent there that I could pick up and move and look like a native in no time

Yes - 73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
No - 74. Helped (watched) an animal give birth
Yes - 75. Been fired or laid off from a job
Yes - 76. Won money

But not much

Yes - 77. Broken a bone
Yes - 78. Ridden a motorcycle

But not long or well

Yes - 79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
No - 80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

But I've been there at the rim, just didn't have time to hike all the way down

No - 81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

But I've slept for most of a flight, I just make it a point to watch the takeoff and I always seem to wakeup during the descent before landing.

No - 82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

Taken many canoe trips in rivers, lakes, even in a busy area near a major shipping port.

No - 83. Eaten Sushi
Yes - 84. Had your picture in the newspaper
No - 85. Read The Bible cover to cover
Yes - 86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
Yes - 87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

He was in trouble for a variety of reasons, but I did blow the whistle on public bid irregularities that helped speed his exit. I hope to do the same for my divorce judge.

No - 88. Gone back to school
No - 89. Changed your name
No - 90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
No - 91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
No - 92. Read The Iliad
No - 93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
No - 94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
No - 95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
Yes - 96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
No - 97. Been elected to public office

Not political office, But I was chosen to be an officer in some organizations.

Yes - 98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
No - 99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

But I did see a close relative who did

No - 100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
No - 101. Had a booth at a street fair
Yes - 102. Dyed your hair

For a Halloween party and to get rid of grey

No - 103. Been a DJ

But I was very close friends with one

Yes - 104. Rocked a baby to sleep
No - 105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
No - 106. Raked your carpet
Yes - 107. Brought out the best in people
Yes - 108. Brought out the worst in people
Yes - 109. Worn a mood ring
Yes - 110. Ridden a horse
No - 111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
No - 112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
No - 113. Buried a child

But I did bury my young (early 30s) cousin

Yes - 114. Gone to a Broadway play

And also a play in London too.

No - 115. Been inside the pyramids
Yes - 116. Shot a basketball into a basket
Yes - 117. Danced at a disco
No - 118. Played in a band(orchestra)
No - 119. Shot a bird
Yes - 120. Gone to an arboretum
Yes - 121. Tutored someone
Yes - 122. Ridden a train

Several times, Amtrack in the US, a Eurrail pass all over Europe and even the Chunnel from London to Paris. Train travel is fun and efficient, too bad we have so little in the US.

No - 123. Brought an old fad back into style
No - 124. Eaten caviar
Yes - 125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
No - 126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

But I did ride a camel.

No - 127. Published a book
No - 128. Pieced a quilt
No - 129. Lived in an historic place
Yes - 130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
Yes - 131. Asked for a raise
Yes - 132. Made a hole-in-one (in putt putt, that counts, right?)
No - 133. Gone kayaking in the ocean

Went canoing in a shipping lane.

Yes - 134. Gone roller skating
No - 135. Run a marathon
No - 136. Learned to surf
No - 137. Invented something
Yes - 138. Flown first class
No - 139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite

But, I have stayed in some pretty nice hotels and even suites.

Yes - 140. Flown in a helicopter

Many times, over cities, the statue of liberty, over the Grand Canyon, even to save my life as I was taken from an ER to a Trauma Center. Even had some short tethered hot air balloon rides.

No - 141. Visited Africa
No - 142. Sang a solo
Yes - 143. Gone spelunking
Yes - 144. Learned how to take a compliment
No - 145. Written a love-story
Yes - 146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
Yes - 147. Had your portrait painted
Yes - 148. Written a fan letter
No - 149. Spent the night in something haunted
No - 150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
No - 151. Ran away
No - 152. Learned to juggle
Yes - 153. Been a boss
Yes - 154. Sat on a jury

Not once, but 5 times. And while our system may be better than some, it is still a flawed process that people don't take seriously enough.

Yes - 155. Lied about your weight
No - 156. Gone on a diet
Yes - 157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
Yes - 158. Written a poem not for school
Yes - 159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
Yes - 160. Gotten food poisoning
No - 161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
No - 162. Gone deep-sea fishing
Yes - 163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks

Many times, ducks, geese, squirrels, fish. I usually take their photos too. One time a squirrel helped himself to a bag of peanuts next to my camera bag while I was taking photos.

No - 164. Gone to the opera
?No - 165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
No - 166. Worn knickers
Yes - 167. Ridden in a limousine
No - 168. Attended the Olympics
?No - 169. Can hula or waltz
No - 170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
?No - 171. Been stuck in an elevator
No - 172. Had a revelatory dream
No - 173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
No - 174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
No - 175. Saved someone’s life
No - 176. Eaten raw whale
No - 177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
Yes - 178. Laughed till your side hurt
No - 179. Straddled the equator
Yes - 180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
Yes - 181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
?No - 182. Sent a message in a bottle
Yes - 183. Spent the night in a hostel

And many charming B&Bs. Stayed in B&Bs exclusively during much of my 2nd European trip.

No - 184. Been a cashier
No - 185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

Hope to see it someday, there are many great national park destinations on my hope to visit list.

No - 186. Joined a union
No - 187. Donated blood or plasma
No - 188. Built a campfire
Yes - 189. Kept a blog
No - 190. Had hives
No - 191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
Yes - 192. Made a PowerPoint presentation

I have also presented and been published to a national audience.

No - 193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
No - 194. Served at a soup kitchen
No - 195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
No - 196. Know CPR
Yes - 197. Ridden in or owned a convertible

And dune buggies too. My uncles used to build them.

Yes - 198. Found a long lost friend
Yes - 199. Helped solve a crime
Yes - 200. Commented on a stranger's blog

That's xxx Yes or xx% living...

There's a few other things not on this list....

1. I once was employed to provide security for a large stadium concert featuring the Rolling Stones. Thought I'd get to see the concert, but I had to stay alert to prevent trouble, but I did hear it. I even assisted in a major cocaine bust in my section.
2. Some of my computer security work has put me in close contact with the FBI, CIA, Secret Service and other interesting people. I even met Louis Frech when he was the Director of the FBI.
3. I assisted the Secret Service in tracking a student's threat (from where I worked) to the President of the United States. It was a dumb prank, but those guys are serious about every threat. It was interesting to learn the behind the scenes path and security when you email to the government.
4. I have been to Europe twice for one month each time, the first time with my brother and the second time with my wife on our fifth wedding anniversary. Countries I visited the first time with a guided tour were Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, France, Belgum, and the Netherlands. The second time we went on our own schedule, Eurrail Pass, etc, to England, Ireland, France, Monaco, Italy.
5. I have traveled the US extensively and feel that some cities are like a second home.
6. I am a very avid photographer, see some of my photos here.
7. I'm not much of a seafood fan and like raw/rare foods even less.
8. I don't like to hunt.
   

Status: First Draft - last updated at 12/28/08 11 PM

Dual views of God

Today's liberal atheistic (is that even communistic, that social experiment that proved to be a failure?) view here in the US, where the attempt to separate religion from the government is a radical misinterpretation of our founding fathers.

Einstein's famous work on physics and the theory of relativity were based in applying the clean discipline of mathematics to the order of the Universe. Einstein made no secret of his belief in God and saw no conflict between that belief and his occupation as a scientist. One of Einstein's difficult conflicts was between classic physics and the new developing discipline quantum mechanics. In classic physics things are neatly explained in mathematics, but in quantum mechanics, the mere act of trying to measure things introduces unusual unpredictable behavior at the smallest levels. This was fundamentally bothersome to Einstein and he was quoted as saying:

"God does not play dice"

In an effort to offer an alternative to this "messy" new quantum mechanics theory, Einstein embarked on a "Theory of everything". He continued to his dying day working on this theory, even when sick he covered bed sheets in calculations. He wanted a clean theory that would "read the mind of God" and replace the unpredictability of quantum mechanics. Even today the quest for the "Grand Unification" theory continues. As Stephen Hawking explains in "A brief History of Time", this achievement is so important it will give us a "glimpse at God". But the proponents of quantum mechanics, despite its unpredictability, responded with a quote seeming to taunt Einstein with this quote:

"Stop telling God what to do with his dice"

Ironically the closest thing to the Grand Unification Thoery today is String Theory, which incorporates quantum mechanics.

The other thing that I find very ironic is that the most gifted scientists can admit the existence of God, so why can't our government and the liberal secularists?

I'm still here....

And that wasn't always a given....

This week was a doosy, I had to prepare for a court appearance to protect property from seizure. On Thursday I went to court, then I spent the rest of the day with a friend and had a very enjoyable dinner. The next morning I spent time taking action to protect property and then I spent the rest of the day on the Lake Front, a wonderful sunny day, exploring some new areas with my DSLR, so take a look at the slide show on the sidebar for the latest.

Just trying to achieve some balance. I'm kind of proud of myself for splitting the day between court drudgery and enjoying myself.


Or you can see it here or in improved grid format if you have Adobe Flash 9 installed. For more information look at my latest photobucket tips here. Or you could use the dynamic slideshow option here.

I am sorry to have neglected my blogs, you would be surprised what's happened to me IRL in the last 6 months. Everything from a whirlwind romance to a carjacking burglary that nearly killed me. It was a violent hate crime a few months back.

Two car accidents, one that totaled my car and would have killed me if I would have been a five feet forward, tore off the front of my car and spread it for over 100 feet. The road had to be closed to clean it up.

And as if divorce court wasn't bad enough. Some former blogger buddies are even taking it upon themselves to try and interfere with my visitation IRL. Divorce actions and legal harassment still present 10 months after final decree, but I'll save those details for my divorce blog.

But I'm still here... Alive and well, despite the wear and tear.

Status: First Draft - Last Update 04/20/08 2:40 AM
All photos loaded 04/20/08 1 AM