I think it's cool to have a blog. In my mind, it's better than having to pay for therapy. I couldn't pay for therapy anyways. For too long I tried to stop the race that has always been running in my mind with beer. It worked for some time. No need to go further there. I guess having a blog allows a release of sorts. This release prevents me from doing all the wrong things.
I live through the employment of various lenses. Each lens has its own angles and colors from which I can view a situation. Just like the pen that has been lost for weeks is found three inches away from where you put your heel every night, so too are the answers we seek. We only need to try to understand a situation from every angle while taking into consideration all possible implications of any actions that may or may not occur as a result. But nothing is that simple. The emotion of man is such that once he is tested in his beliefs or actions, right or wrong, he will automatically disperse rhetoric from those emotional havens that have been fed over and over again by what he chooses to see and hear. These days, and I suspect it has always been, too many people are unwilling to not only hear another point of view, but also they call that view a lie without knowing anything about it. A persons inability to change is what stifles the progress of men.

When I was a kid, I stumbled upon a book my mother had stored away in her closet. It was called, "Nineteen Ways to Read a Person," or something to that effect. I read it and became interested in the subject. I suspect my mother was interested in getting ahead in her business. I remember she once told me that she always wondered what life would have been like were it not for her having children. I suspect she would have founded a successful business and made lots of money. Instead, she chose to mix the two. It was a delicate balance to be sure. I have yet to see a woman match her incredible work ethic and ability to keep things together when everyone around her is completely nuts. But that book has always stayed with me.
I've read more books on the subject over the years and then studied sociology and social psychology in grad school. I read as much as I can on the subject of reading people, understanding people, relating to people, effectively listening to people, conflict resolution among people, etc... The one constant, if there is such a thing, is the fact that when conflict arises and emotions are running high, people make mistakes. They can either be seriously honest and use that honesty as ammunition for the fight or they can make things up based not on fact, but blind emotion and/or rage which can have its roots based under the jealousy tree. Younger people tend to do the latter.
It's important to know who it is that is reading you. He or she could watch you from a distance or he could be straight forward, confident, and in your face. He could be a con who talks as fast as he reads people. These are some of the most dangerous people that are in our society. However, their insincerity always gets these guys in the end.

Unless one has been there, no book can make one fully understand. To claim knowledge of something without having the experience to back it up, it is difficult to be sincere with people. The only real learning that takes place anywhere is when ones ears are open and ones mouth is closed. The people who have to remember what they say are usually in what I call "dress rehearsal" at all times. Their true selves would not fit into the category they see as what is best for them. They know they have to play roles. To a certain extent, we all play roles in life. But when it comes to making money, people will say and do anything to achieve their ends... no matter who suffers. Take poverty, for example. Unless one has been flat busted, homeless, and/or addicted and scared, no book has enough words for anybody to know unless they too have been in that place.

The freedom Train

Any man in this country has a right to his opinion based on his system of beliefs. It's a good thing we live in a place where people can believe their toothbrushes open up portals to the angels as they play softball in Heaven, if that is what they believe. If we lived in Iran, we would all be worshiping in the same way, to the same God. If that ever happens here, we're all fucked and our soldiers have never really been fighting for our freedoms that do include the freedom of speech, press, and religion.

I don't have to tell anyone what I believe. That is not important to anybody else but me. I would never impose my religious beliefs on anybody, ever! Who would be so arrogant as to try and make someone believe that they have the answers and they can all be found in the Bible? There are many answers that can be found in the Bible. I think if someone could follow Jesus and his teachings, their life would be much cleaner and clearer. But many folks in this society believe entertainment is just entertainment and the news, their news, is the right news and everybody else is full of shit. In short, it has been written that church is the devil's favorite place and society his playground. In everything he can see all the people who live in half-truths and all out lies. It is these kinds of people that give his kingdom power; if that is what you believe. If that is the case, then I will stand for your right to believe the way you do.

Strange Days Indeed

I am seeing too many negative things happening in this country/world. There is no need to list them all here. But the fact of the matter is that we have become accustomed to violence. It has moved beyond shocking and horrible. In a sense, people have grown up with violence of all kinds. Words can be violent. Relationships can be violent. Violence happens in all shapes and sizes. Yet, when we see violence on television and in the movies, there seems to be less and less of an effect on those who watch it. I have no doubt one could simply call it entertainment. I get that! It is entertainment for sure. But one has to wonder why there are so many advertising agencies. Why do corporations spend heavy, heavy money on advertising? Why do these same people lobby and spend so much money on the hill? All that money has to come back to all of them and then some. And guess what, it does. What some people call "entertainment" is much more than that. These giant corporate entities could care less about anyone but themselves. They use what I believe is nothing short of witchery. That simply means as we watch television, which we agree is entertainment, without knowing or understanding, we are on the receiving end of all kinds of spells. They believe we are doing everything that is and has been expected of us. We watch countless hours of television. We watch all kinds of movies. We idolize sports-figures who couldn't care less about us. I understand how some people would call this negative. I can see how that could be in the eyes of people. I'm cool with that. The only thing I do know is that where large sums of money are being generated, the chances are good there is some form of corruption happening. I get it! Why change the process now? There is evil in the world and it is all over the place and gathering strength.

The Doors - Love Her Madly

Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin in 1080p HD