Time

Time is not endless.
Sure, it continues
after we are gone.
But we are finite,
and as selfish creatures
we see things
in terms of ourselves.

So much time is wasted
on things that are so trivial.
Our time is precious.
We should put more effort
into counting our time
and less into
counting our money.

Read a poem,
write a letter,
call a friend,
take a walk,
go surfing,
fly a kite.

Do not frivolous
with your time.
Do not waste it.
Time waits for no one.

The way things are

Stepping on rotting fruit on the sidewalk.
The smell is putrid in the overwhelming afternoon heat.

Decaying store fronts, cracked pavement,
bad graffiti (because not all is bad),
trash next to a cans, cigarette butts, animal crap,
disposed of furniture carted out to the curb
the day after bulk item pick-up.
It all assaults the eyes.
The look of poverty in an otherwise affluent place.

It is the ability to overlook that irks my ire.
Am I a snob to expect better, prettier, more enlightened?

The least effort possible regardless of the outcome is the norm.

It denotes a lack of pride, and a developing world mentality.
But perhaps not.
In poor countries they make the most with modest means.
Here, we make the least, waste money,
and have little to show for our efforts.

A sign of arrogance in the face of their modest standard.

Is this distinctive to this place?
No, certainly not.
We expect little and therefore we receive little in return.

American Pride?
I think not!
American Arrogance!
American Laziness!

The world/2006

Life in a time of chaos.
A period of turmoil.
An era of desperation,
confusion,
cynicism,
anger,
sorrow, and
hopelessness.

Lost souls,
seeking answers.
It is the question,
though,
that they do not know.

Where are the answers?
What is the question?
I don’t have them,
but I know one thing,
for sure.

The answer,
the question,
are not found
in confusion,
cynicism,
anger,
sorrow, or
hopelessness.

They are found
in clarity,
faith,
love,
happiness, and
hope!

Are we not able
to rise to that level?
If not,
we are lost.

I fear the worst!

Where is the glory in taking life?

I watched The Patriot today. I think we should deport Mel Gibson, that Aussie SWINE!!! Back to the poisonous continent for you Mel! Really anyone who glorifies war and killing in movies should get chucked. We could replace each one with a Mexican who wants a shot at the American dream! Those economically disenfranchised will better value that which this country truly represents then self-centered cogs in the political propaganda machine.

I quote from Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five...

"So I held up my hand and I made her a promise: 'Mary,' I said, 'I don't think think this book of mine is ever going to be finished. I must have written five thousand pages by now, and thrown them all away. If I ever do finish it, though, I give you my word of honor: there won't be a part for Frank Sinatra or John Wayne.

"'I tell you what,' I said, 'I will call it 'The Children's Crusade.'

"She was my friend after that."

There is no glory to be found in war and our need to portray glory in killing is, in part, the reason why wars self-perpetuate. That is not to say that the men and women who serve in the military should not be respected. They should. They do a job that I have absolutely no interest in doing. But they are not anymore special then anyone else. Honestly, do we need to celebrate war and destructive achievement with national holidays? Should we not instead glorify peace and constructive achievement?

Just something to think about…