"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." And yet our irst measure o success is how nice our things* are and how much money we got. It can be said that our society, rom the get go (a determined measure o what it means to be a success), is set apart rom The Lord in its measures and determinations. And what do we do? We thank The Lord when we acquire a new this or new that. We thank the Lord or the means by which we can buy shit. I think maybe we have it backwards. Don't think or one second that you can buy into all the bullshit, buy a bunch o really nice, one o a kind multi-million dollar sets o the inest coinages, or example, and then turn your back on those with less and stand in any room with any amount o people in it and call yoursel a Christian. ace it, our whole society is predicated on the idea o acquisition o earthly things as a top two measure and determinant o what it means to be successful. As a result, those with much less are almost predetermined to be useless and a taker o society's resources. Oh, I think maybe we have a lot o people walking around with their hand in the ace o The Lord with a silver and gold cross dangling rom their necks. We use UnGodly measures as we judge one another on sight. Yes, mankind, all o us, have a very long ways to go....

I have to say that it is diicult or me these days to ind work. I guess I'm getting old or something. I eel totally oriented outside the loop. Every time I eel as though I am making strides to get along with the way things are "supposed" to be, I ind mysel stepping back and checking mysel. I tried all that when I was younger. I ell into the drinking culture and then the God culture. I was always involved with the people i worked alongside in one way or the other... especially when I was young and ull o energy. But now that I am almost 50, I just don't have the drive to participate in what I see as a complete abrication with consequences that can do a great deal o damage to the creative spirit. In many ways, I believe a lot o really great artists died the moment they took that saety job ater they couldn't sell their work the irst time. Not that suering gets anybody extra points in this lie or the next one, but it sure seems to go with the territory these days.

THE CARS ― MOVING IN STEREO & ALL MIXED UP

No letter between the e and the g.

Silence is golden in an era o onesidedness operating inside an oblivion.

I was doing something when I looked at the screen to a special report. It was 10 something. Somebody is shooting at the crowd with an automatic weapon. I am just sitting there, listening to these rounds go off from on high; turns out the 32nd floor. Cell phone videos record the sound of deflecting bullets all around and the people are silent. Suddenly, the crowd realizes what is happening and the horror begins. I still could not believe what I was seeing. It took me a few minutes to understand what it sounds like when somebody opens up with an automatic weapon and just lets it all fly. There was immediate talk among the media folk about how to prevent something like this from happening again. But there was no place to go with that conversation. This was not a terrorist. This was a 64 year old white guy from the edge of Nevada who was just responsible for the largest mass killing in American history. I can only imagine if the man was a North Korean immigrant who has infiltrated the country. Were that the case North Korea would be on fire as we sit and think together. I am frightened by what a man is capable of doing to his fellow man.

The Steve Miller Band "Serenade"

I sometimes feel I am stretched too thin in my mind. It seems the more I tie myself with analytics, the less I physically do. Of course, there are exceptions. I do like a brisk walk from time to time. But when it's hot outside, I find it's much better to stay in. I think I am on my third month of no television with the exception of golf. Oh sure I breeze around looking for breaking news, but the days of me sitting down and watching the news are over! It's amazing how much free time I have now when compared to the countless hours I sat and watched television. It could be that I was watching too much television and therefore had to slow down or stop. I don't know. I do know that my life has changed and I am beginning to see the world differently. I am in the process of breaking a spell that has been cast upon us all and it is not easy.