Busy weekend... may i have another

Perhaps a bit distracting to start with a logo

Busy weekend but a good one

Friday p.m. was entertaining three kids which really started with dodge ball on Thursday but that isn’t a weekend day.

Saturday

Then up very early on Saturday for a PTA dodge ball tournament which went on longer than most of us thought it would but it was a good time. The dodge ball oneders placed second over all.

Saturday early p.m. - such a beautiful afternoon which I spend outside cleaning up my yard from the supermodel tree and drama tree. The supermodel tree is the magnolia and the drama tree is … well I’m not exactly sure what sort of a tree. I call the magnolia the supermodel tree because while it is nice to look at and smells good it is a pain in the ass most of the time and requires a lot of upkeep.

The drama tree is pretty and in the way it saves it leaves until every other tree has shed it’s leaves then decides once you have raked the yard completely and think you are done with the yard work it will find the worst weather week then all at once shed 99 percent of the leaves. It does this to let me know it’s in the yard with the supermodel tree and can be a pain in my ass too.

I tell the trees regularly I own a saw and pruning shears. They laugh at me and continue to drop their crap (leaves) in my yard.

Crab grass sucks in case you didn’t know. Sucks a lot.

Saturday late p.m.

The Virginia High school League basketball championship series. I really don’t care a bit about basketball and care less about it now than I did before

You are probably asking if you hate basketball so much why were you there. Because my daughter is a cheerleader and I go to be supportive of what she does to see her do what she likes doing. She does a great job and I’m glad she isn’t a flyer on her squad because I think my heart would stop. The one girl who is captain and a flyer does this back arch leg thing standing on leg then vaults off into this spinning fall to a catch by the base members of the squad. The job of the base is far more complicated than you might think. My daughter explained it to me and I was in awe of her explaining a thing she does in her life and makes look easy that is far more complicated.

They do practice a lot and it shows I worried seeing the other squads doing lifts and things and appeared to be very unstable. Because as the back of one of my daughters t-shirts says… “In other sports if you miss the catch all you do is drop a ball.”

The point of the night was not the cheering squads, it was the basketball team or teams as there were many game being played. I saw a bit of the game before and the game with the school which my daughter is a student. They one and move on to the final four.

The distracting thing was how unfairly some athletes play their sports. Basketball is not a contact sport. There is some contact but it is not a contact sport. However, the way the game is played now is a disgrace. I understand evolution of the game but deliberate chops, pushes, shoves, leg blocks, how many steps can you take now before it’s traveling?? I think its five, … well it’s five depending on what team you are on. My daughters school did foul but they were accidental going for the ball fouls. The other team had two plays foul out of the game and two other with four fouls and two others with at least three each.

I was glad to see this hatchet squad to get beaten. Their coach should not be allowed to coach because he either can’t control his players or he is teaching them to play like hacks, either way its not good sportsmanship.

One other thing when did player stop having to raise their hand in acknowledgement of a foul. When I learned the game if you were called for a foul you had to raise your hand to acknowledge the foul. To own it. You made a mistake and you had to say I made this error.

There was other evidence earlier in the day too at the dodge ball event. One of my teammates overheard a parent telling their kid don’t go out unless the ref calls you out. This was a fundraiser for fun. Go out on the honor system, you know when the ball hits you go out own it. I understand you may not realize you’ve stepped out of bounds but you know when you’re hit.

Sportsmanship is dying and I think it has hit me more seeing the Olympics which this year seemed to be free of any doping, un-sportsman like conduct, and athletic controversy. To seeing so many sports tainted by ego, cheating, and ill will toward competitors.

Kudos to my daughters school and the one girls team which played before them who also beat a team which was going far and beyond acceptable play and court behavior. They did play a good game and rather than wallow in the mud, they and their coaches, played a good clean game.

My daughter will be going to Richmond with her team for the final four and have those memories for later in life.

Saturday was full of adventure

Sunday

Chores mainly not nearly as exciting but I did get a good bit done around the house.


In other news…

So far the Oscar’s this year really sort of blow. Like a lot.

One more week in league play …coming this week. Then the tournament for the league then it’s Kickball… woo hoo…


That’s all for now other stuff tomorrow, have a great day and play nice in the neighborhood.

Ciao,

It's better than good, it's bad.

Back to the idea of blog not being a blog.

I mean back in the day writing on line was a thing done by anyone about anything they wanted it to be and it was good. Then somebody who couldn’t really get why would you just write stuff on line for other people to read. Well because, duh. There are so many reasons. Still not getting it they had to say well it would be better if you did it about something. Better how? Better as in predictable? Better how?

Oh, so others can be critical and say well this is a good blog and this is a bad blog, Well really or are you just no that into it… like some vegetables even the same vegetable.
What ever do you mean? Well spinach for example, I like it raw but not cooked, it’s gross and disgusting cooked, as in haul your mass in the lawn grab some Kentucky blue and cook it same, same. Anyway So I blog, it’s never made sense and when I’ve tried to make it make sense it is bad. Not that it isn’t bad anyway but some people like it.

I think they read to see if I’m going to jump or just go coo-coo for coco puff one day, oh and if you don’t know that’s my euphemism for crazy, insane, bonkers, off the rocker, etc.

So I have thought about doing this as a video blog or vlog. Several problem with this idea.
1. I’m technically not all that computer smart. I have a computer but I don’t do much with it, it may as well be a video game and typewriter
2. O.F.U.C.
3. Which should be 2 but I’m making it three I don’t have a digital video camera, you would think well not having the proper equipment. I blogged for the first six months with out a computer so there is a way so it’s three
4. I mentioned my lack of skills on the computer, yeah they are even worse with things you hook up to computers like cameras.

So if you wanna follow the blog you’ll have to work for the good stuff and read. You know reading, words organized in an understandable fashion or semi-understandable fashion. So not only am I saving the written word, I am also saving you from potential night mares because of the O.F.U.C.

However I do some pretty funny voices, ok I think they are funny and my son and his friends laugh and a few others, my students and a few people on phones when I wanna play. Hmmm I suppose I’ll give it some more thought in the mean time please enjoy the offering in written form, forgive the spelling and grammatical errors and if you are confused by what I’m saying be thankful it doesn’t go on inside your head.

In other news…

Princess Zombie - rocks - you might be better off undead.

I spent some time rolling around a horrible thought in my head, well it’s not horrible … I’ll put more up later.

Clarity moment during the chores not a litter box moment but close… I’m not going to erase a chunk of my life just because you don’t like me. I know it’s sickening I’m almost up beat (shudder) it will go away soon I hope.

Good thoughts and energy to …well you know who you are so

To the ELE … I’m not saying I’m submitting an application but I may be interested in some additional literature or attending a informational seminar or a retreat.


That’s all for now other stuff tomorrow, have a great day and play nice in the neighborhood.

Ciao,

even muther's need love... nah they don't they are just a bunch of...

Not sure if this will work very well or not. So I’ll start with it and if it bombs out I’ll just stop and post something else… well on second thought I know it will work I just don’t have the right thing in mind right at the moment … but I sort of do I’m just not in the right place mentally.

Ha

Yes I know there are some occasions when the planets or other celestial bodies align and I’m able to think clearly. Rare as that may be it does happen. On normal days it’s like a pack of ADHD squirrel hyped up on coffee and legal amphetamines confined in a really small space.

Like the saying goes if you put two solid steel balls in my head and then wait a day.

Then take an X ray.

One steel ball would be missing, the other would be broken and the squirrels would be like what are you sure there were two and wasn’t that one broken already, are you sure you were even here yesterday, I don’t know what the heck happened, there is cake, oh look a nickel. What are you here? The square root of 49729 is 223, no we didn’t cheat, yes we did, heavenly choir, did you know that 63 is the hexagram of snake eyes tattoo. The steel balls are in the case by the door where you left them when you came in.

I’m too nice for my own good, I’ve sent the muther’s day cards

Not those muthers the other muthers, the muthers you owe all your money too. Yeah they like cards every month.

I’ll work on the other thing for another time.

Other stuff tomorrow, have a great day and play nice in the neighborhood.

Ciao,

Now before I wake ...

My mind seems to work better when I need to be doing something else. Damn my mind because I want to be productive I just sometimes have to get the butterflies out of the line of sight. Perhaps that is just the pan in me not wanting to like the whole productive me. I’m not sure what the answer is to any of those questions people like to ask people in an all serious nature. I just say I want to be me. Who are you?, screams Mr. Daltrey as Mr. Townsend smashes out the notes.

I’m me you know me the invisible kid who lives next door. Well except that I’m not a kid I have them. I am me at every age still and that is the secret that I haven’t figured out how do I get all those me’s to be one person. Not sure on that one.

I woke up the other day from a dream, I don’t try to remember my dreams because they are usually unpleasant or at least I know what occurs is an echo of what once was and when I wake up it will be gone and I don’t want to relive the pain of all the loses again. This dream I know I was lying in bed smoking a cigarette. I woke up from that dream because I had thought I actually went and smoked a cigarette. I’m 46 weeks quit now and I had this dream that I was smoking and liked it. I can be around it and even drink now and not light up, I still have the urge to smoke but I haven’t and it remains a challenge nearly every day. Well enough for now.


Have a great day and play nice in the neighborhood.

Ciao,

lost and found

I should start a lost and found for my voice or at least a metaphorical all points bulletin for it. I find it I loose it, repeat … just like the shampoo bottle. That could be a never ending process for someone who took things extremely literal. I digress…often.

The point is that I loose my voice … well more to the point I let the outside voice stifle my voice. I pre edit and censor myself from what other people may think about what I have to say. There is a large part of me that says to hell and be damned those who see things differently than I do when I know I’m right or even right by how I choose to live my life. Albeit by a sometimes lax set of moral principles they are my own. So no more I know I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again most likely.

So I will do what I can to write what I think and forget the pressures and voices of peers when I write. If you misunderstand something ask me what I mean. If something offends you, ask I probably did not mean it to offend or if I did I will be blunt about it and you’ll know when I mean to offend you because I will say to your face what I think about you. Unless of course you have anything at all to do with my paycheck, then I’ll keep that to myself as decorum dictates. It still doesn’t mean that I don’t think what I think but those are my thinks to think and not to taint anyone opinion about said person or persons with my own opinion. Because when it comes to money in this economy it’s all C.Y.A and truth be damned. Makes me wish for a world order as Rodenberry stated where the accumulation of wealth is not the function of mankind but the betterment of humanity. Truth in a world order like that makes sense even when it is unpleasant but not in our own cash above all other gods if you please truth is down on the lower rungs of that ladder.

So I’ll end my random mishmash of thoughts with this I’ll be writing and you may not like it or you may but I will be writing. I do hope you’ll be reading. Have a great day and play nice in the neighborhood.

Ciao,

2008 nearly gone

Another calendar nearly gone... again. This year alone ... again.

I wasn't alone last year as the calendar flipped and I still very much wish I was with her again this year, I won't be no matter how hard I wish... even if I close my eyes and pray with every fiber of my being.

So I will be alone, it's just one more day alone

I just don't understand...

There is a lot in life that I don't understand. So much so that there isn't time or space to explain all of the things that I don't understand.

Recently the things I don't understand have expanded

However with that realization that there are things I don't understand I have decided that I don't really care. I am pulling back and becoming what I once was a long time ago.

I can't stop self censoring and it is driving me crazy. I'll write something and then I delete it.

I write it differently and delete it again.

what is the point in doing anything if I'm not saying what I want to say

Oh and by the way I really really am not good at HALO3

'tis the season... for what I'm not really sure.

I look around me and I see my fellow humans. Mostly I just shake my head. I'm not any better than anyone else on the planet. My life is my own and worth the same 7.38 in compounds as anyone else. I'm accused of thinking I'm better than others but that is something else entirely.

The point is that in my own lifetime I've seen this society turn into a toxic waste dump. We are truly devoid of any culture, manners, respect, caring, or humanity.

We delude ourselves into thinking we are OK but we are not. We think we care because we buy gifts for people, we say nice things to those we know, we act polite when we are around those who might think ill of us if they saw us act a certain way.

I watched a mass of people go through a store that was going out of business. Sad really because it's a good store. I like it and would shop there more if I had more money. However these people took things off the shelf and if it wasn't what they wanted they just tossed it on the floor. All over the store there was really no order.

I had to leave because I could stomach the sheer disregard for order that was displayed there.

merry christmas indeed

My head hurts

My head hurts and my computer monitor died. So I'm using some dinosaur thing I had in the basement.

Just my luck though


I'm self censoring and I don't like it and the silly thing is no one is even reading this right now and I'm still self censoring because I'm worried about what some one may think.

Saturday with Jonathan Trager

Well, it's Saturday and so far I've drank some coffee, eaten some breakfast, watched one of my favorite movies.

Now, I am going to head out into the world of commerce, I don't want to do this not even a little bit but I sort of need to not because I think I need to spend money but because the four walls here are sucking a lot and walking around the malls is cheaper hopefully than getting drunk.

I do need to get out from in front of the movies though.

I have a theory though that every movie, well most every movie, will have one line that has meaning the rest of it's usually crap to fill in the time needed to make money. So if you can write one really good line that has some meaning then you can build around that. If you can find the one meaningful thought then you know what inspired the author. I found it today in one of my favorite movies.

I think the same thing applies to books too but usually there is one in every chapter then unless what you are reading is a biography then it's a fact about the person but I don't read biographies much.

So I guess the thing is be careful about what you write it may inspire you one way but someone else another.

Oh and no I will not tell you the lines, you'll have to find them for yourself. Because while I may have unlocked one thing you may unlock something else.

Now I'm off to the wild world of pre-Christmas shopping - I hope I survive

It really isn't a laughing matter

Funny how things work in the world. Funny that we say funny when we really mean strange and not funny haha but a lack of understanding.

I suppose it goes to the saying if you can’t laugh at it you would cry. But you do cry, perhaps not saline from you eyes but inside the hurt of it cripples you.

I don’t like the saying it’s not you, it’s me. Because it’s a lie. What is it about me that is so bad?

Can't sleep.. but I'm going to try again soon

I'm sitting here now listening to a song which in it's entire play does not have anything with how I feel but there are bits of it that reflect it very well.

No I'm not going to share what that song is because I've learned not to do that. That was part of why I quit blogging everyday. People read things and then they assume they know exactly how you feel about everything. Wrong.

Then there is also this annoy thing that the only acceptable emotion anymore is happy. When did the people from the Happy Global Conglomerate get a strangle hold on the emotional state of the world? I must have missed that memo or e-mail as we don't have memos any more. Which I suppose is a good thing save the trees and all. I am really about saving the trees. However not the point the point is I'm not happy right now. I'm not ready to cut my throat or wrists and I don't need a freaky little pill or some emotionally strained counselor who can't get their own life to work any better to tell me that I need some thing to make me fell OK.

I'm OK I'm working on a plan to change things. my agenda and time frame are not yours and while I may be more in line with the grasshopper from the ant and the grasshopper... I'm at least looking for grains of wheat to put away for winter.

The thing is it's OK to be sad, depressed even, angry and any other emotional state that you want to be in but this manic, plastic, put on, happy all the time crap is for the birds. Which I'm not all happy about unless they are birds of prey they are cool most of the others are just rats with wings who crap on my car and places I want to sit outside. Bad birds go crap on something else. karma is crapping on my life right now and I'm not feeling sorry for myself either I'm just not OK with how and where things are in my life right now.

And if one more persons say you just have to decide to be happy and good things will happen to you. OK you decide to be happy and say that crap too me once more I'll choke the life right out of your smiling face and see if you think that is a good thing because you decided to be happy. Let me be how I feel which right now is not happy.

Unfortunate too that my not happy feeling is around the most plastic happy time of the year. OH I want to puke about a dozen times a day anymore. Yes I'm sick that this holiday has become the corporate orgy that we color red and green.

Everyone says I just hate that I have to buy all this stuff for all of these people ... Guess what you don't have to do it. You can say no and be nice about it but you have a head on your shoulders say no. I'm saying no to some people this year. No I'm sorry I can't, no it's not because I don't like you. I like you fine and when did what I buy for you become the measure of my feelings for you? And if that is the measure you use to determine how much you like a person is directly related to how much they spend on you at this time of year then you are in need of some introspection.

I'm ranting. The above is just how I feel and it not about anyone person. Another reason I stopped writing.

Carly Simon? "You're so vain you probably think this 'blog' is about you"

It's not it is a cathartic thing for me so my head won't explode.

OK, I say that a lot, as I just did the spell check thingy it was in the entry a bunch. I'll have to work on that. Sorry if you hate that word a bit more now. I know I do. There isn't much that can be done about the I appearing so much as this is about me and my thoughts so it will appear with great frequency as it does in yours if you keep a blog, journal etc.

So off to try to find some slumber

Back to writting or at least trying

So once upon a time I use to write every single day. Little by little that all began to slow down and then finally came to a complete stop. So I'm going to try to start writing again everyday. Some days I'll have interesting things to say and sometimes I will not have anything that is all that interesting. I'm not one of those self absorbed idiots who thinks that everything I say is some golden nugget of truth that will enlighten mankind to several steps closer to Nirvana.

Oh by the way my spelling and use of punctuation is bad. Really bad. So if you are reading and you think you know I really like what is said here but the spelling is bad and the grammar is also bad. I know get over it they really are just suggestions anyway to help convey the message to as many people as possible in the same manner. But if you get what that point of the message is, then it doesn't matter so much how it looks. That said I do believe you should try your very best to do things to the best of ones ability.

I also tend to be a bit disjointed in the things I write and just jump around where my mind takes me

Commercial song "I have a package full of wishes .... what kind of world do you want"

See.

Well I think that is all for now... oh no.. yeah that's it

Invisible don
king of the bastards (bumper stickers are available)

Malleus Maleficarum

Ever notice that we just love a good ol'fashion witch hunt.

Doesn’t matter about the facts.

We just want blood

I find that in my job I read the information I get and I have to catch myself from drawing conclusions until I get more facts.

But there is that part of me that starts carrying wood for the pile and lighting the torches.



Ciao,

invisible don

Castle Elsinore

Welcome dearest friends to Castle Elsinore
For I find in the recent rising and falling of Apollo's orb
Hath discovered me to be not a friend with Pan but rather my heart doth dwell with hades


Ciao,

invisible don

2006 Awards

Invisible don’s Awards for 2006

1) DRINKING BUDDY OF THE YEAR
Smoking Buddy and Brand A

2) LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD (longest friend)
Alexis,

3) NEWCOMER AWARD - NEWEST FRIEND?
This third grade teacher I know - pretty damn good friend

4) RECONNECT OF THE YEAR:
L

5) HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR?
Not having to do AITS

6) LOW POINT OF THE YEAR?
Getting laid off

7) BEST HOLIDAY?
Christmas was pretty good

8) YOUR SONG FOR 2006
TISM - Everybody has had more sex than me

9) MOVIE FOR 2006?
Cars

10) WHO DID YOU SPEND Valentine's DAY WITH?
Me myself and I

11) BEST RELATIONSHIP?
Didn’t really have one

12) WHAT WERE YOU FOR HALLOWEEN
A dad on a stoop handing out candy

13) RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR?
Jimmy Buffets in Myrtle Beach

14) BOOK OF THE YEAR?
Dahlia Lama


15) BEST DECISION MADE THIS YEAR?


16) WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR?
Get up, work, come home sleep repeat and spending time with my kids .

17) MOST STUPID IDEA WHEN DRUNK?
This looks like a good spot to park

18) TV SHOW OF THE YEAR?
ROME

19) BIGGEST CHANGE OF THE YEAR?
Starting a new job

20) BIGGEST DUMBASS AWARD?
CPG - almost killed herself this year drinking

21) NEW YEAR RESOLUTION?
Don’t make them


Ciao,

Invisible Don

Attention span

It is said that an audience in ancient Rome or Greece could hear a play and most of the audience could if asked recite the play near to perfect.

This is nearly 2500 years ago for the Greeks and 2100 years for the Romans

We laud ourselves as being greater than our ancestors. And there is probably Greek and Roman blood all over the world not just in the soil but also in the DNA being that soldiers like to have sex a lot more than they like killing.

The liking of sex bit isn’t the point though.

The idea is if we are related to societies which boasted such recall and not to mention that the Greek and Roman civilizations had nearly 100% literacy rates where in the US literacy is estimated to be around 45%.

Not that literacy denotes attention span but I think it does help a bit.

How is it in a mere blink of time most of us walk away from speeches, plays and lectures with only a bit of information. How have we been able to come so far yet loose so much.



Ciao,

invisible don

60 Questions

60 Questions
1. How do you take your steak?
Still alive, I don’t eat the animals

2. When was the last time you took a nap?
A nap, the other day but it was an accident I was waiting on a phone call which didn’t come, how pathetic is that sitting by the phone.

3. What's your favorite soda?
Diet coke, but I’m trying to stop drinking them altogether

4. What was the most exciting thing to happen to you in the last month?
I probably shouldn't talk about it and it was just once and it doesn’t look like its going to happen again

5. Who was the last person to call you?
Smoking buddy

6. To text you?
Her

7. To send you a Myspace message?
Carmen

8. Do you still talk to your ex?
My ex wife? Bahahahhahaha if you count her calling me bad names and me saying have a nice day when I really mean fuck off and die and you skanky whore then yes we still talk

9. Last person you rode in a car with?
Stunt boy

10. Ever kiss anyone on your friends list?
Yes

11. who was it?
I decline to acquiesce to your request … means no

12. Do you have cingular?
Nope

13. What's your favorite thing to do?
Traveling and writing

14. How old will you be on your next birthday?
One year older

15. Do you wear makeup?
Nope

17. Do you like to ski?
Yes, used to be a ski instructor

18. Ever meet anyone famous?
Ryan Reynolds bummed a smoke from me in Vancouver and talked to my brother and I until I embarrassed the shit out of him

19. What instant messaging service do you use?
None

20. Have you ever been out of the country?
Yes several times

21. Who is your 5th contact in your cell's phonebook?
I can't believe it… it’s the ex wife.

22. What is your favorite number?
7

23.Most hated food?
meat

24.How many animals did you pet today?
three

25. Who was your favorite teacher when you were a freshman in high school?
Father Bell

26. What are you worried about?
no worries, not really

27. Have you ever had a panic attack?
No

28. Do you like anyone?
l like someone but I don’t think they really like me

29. What color is your hair?
brown


30. What do you smell like right now?
One of those Bath and Body Works men’s colognes

31. How old are your siblings?
Younger than me

32. What names do you go by?
Don, D, invisible don, invisible d, the priest, the pope, Martha, Machete, hey you , and king of the bastards

34. What is something you want very badly at the moment?
Just to know what’s going on

35. What is a major pet peeve of yours?
Lying

36. Last thing you ate today:
coffee

37. What are you doing today?
Driving to DC in a while

38. Is your myspace display name from a song?
No

39. Do you have over 100 friends?
Yes but most of them are bands

40. About how many myspace comments did you get today?
none

41. Did you ever sneak into a rated R movie?
no

42. Do you have a wood floor or carpet in your bedroom?
carpet

43. Do you have a hidden stash of candy somewhere?
no

44. Do you have over 100 Cds?
yes

45. Would you ever sing a solo?
no

46. Is your phone right beside you?
of course

47. Are you cold?
no

48. What will you be doing in 2 hours?
Driving to DC

49. Recently done anything you regret?
nope

50. Ever trip over your own feet?
yep

51. Favorite color pen ink to use?
black

52. Do you fill out a lot of these surveys?
when I have time

53. Where did you take your default pic?
In an elevator

54. What exactly are you wearing right now?
Jeans and a T-shirt

55. What is your current problem?
None really, well nothing that will end the world

56. What makes you most happy?
I'm pretty happy most of the time just have a roller coaster life so happy is less happy at times

57. What's the name of the song that you're listening to?
none

58. Has anyone you've been really close with passed away?
yes

59. Do you ever watch MTV?
no


60. Name something that's really annoying you?
Define annoyed

On interconnectedness

On interconnectedness

In the a few of the last entries I’ve noticed I’ve made references to my Buddhist studies and how I’m feeling a good connection with the ideals of Buddhism. My intent with that is not to become some Buddhist freak and it will be all I talk about any more.

However, reading the Dali Lama two themes he comes back to time and again in his teachings are compassion and interconnectedness.

I’ve been meditating on these and while much of it I already understood the connectedness of man to one another but I think my understanding of if has increased recently.

We don’t always think of the interconnectedness of ourselves to others and the more we think of our self above others we usually end up causing our self more pain and grief and suffering.

Every action of every other person affects our life. We may not see it directly in our daily lives and maybe not for years.

This morning I was meditating on coffee and how my enjoyment of it presents an extreme form of interconnected which I experience everyday.

From the ditch digger who put in the water mains which bring water into my house, the electrician, the house builder, the potter who made my mug, the person who dug the clay, planted the seed which grew and produced the coffee beans. The host of people I’ve never met whose actions some many years ago have all come together for a moment of taking a sip of coffee in my house early in the morning before the sun comes up.

What effect will my actions have on those around me and those I’ll never meet even years from now. This is where the spirituality of it comes into play do you want the impact to be positive or negative. How can you know the whole possibility of the impact? We are deeply connected to every person. Then I mediated on the recent execution of Saddam Hussein. While many people wanted this man to die, there are many people who did not. I’m not saying his actions were excusable he brought pain to many thousands of people and in a sense he touched the lives of every person on the planet and even those who are not even born yet. Now though the judges and jury in Iraq to extract justice for the past actions of one man have put in to play an action which will impact every person further into the future than the actions of the person they punished.

Our leaders I think do not think enough about the impact of their actions and the interconnectedness of those actions and the impact it will have for generations to come. Perhaps the oath of public office should include a line from the Hippocratic Oath, First do no harm.

Ciao,

invisible don

To the way back machine Sherman. Sure thing Mr. Peabody.

Doesn’t any one read history anymore?

I’m sort of curious about this because all the classics are being turned into movies. Some of them are OK but they also twist things a bit to make it sell to the audience.

Troy for example, yes the Iliad is a bit dry to read but it is worth a look.

The latest dive into the classics is the movie 300. The Trailer for this looks awesome, but do you know this is a real story of ancient Greece.

The battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans hold back an army of millions of Persians and their Allies until the rest of Greece can get their shit together and form an army and prevent Greece from being over run. The 300 was more like 4000 to 5000 Greeks against the Persian Army of perhaps 200,000. These are still not really good odds but the Greeks did have the advantage of territory and the Persians the disadvantage of moving such a large army through a narrow mountain pass and that doesn’t happen quickly.

All of this is a bit over 100 years before Alexander, I’m not going to get into Mr. Stone’s account of the great one, and not to spoil the end of 300 but the Spartans all die. But then again the books about that have been lying around for a few thousand years just begging to be read.

Ciao,

invisible don