So much bluster and noise regarding firearms these days. Like everyone with any sense of decency and compassion I was shocked and horrified by the events that unfolded in Colorado. However I do not under any circumstances believe the actions of some psychopath warrant further infringement on the rights of law abiding citizens. If anything, these type of events tell me that MORE people should be carrying as a daily routine. One or two properly trained and armed citizens in that Aurora theater could have drastically changed the outcome. Sure, there would most likely have been wounded and possibly killed patrons but I'd be willing to bet the numbers would have been greatly reduced. As a bonus, the perpetrator might have left the scene in a bag rather than cuffs, saving the residents of Colorado untold piles of tax money in the prosecution and subsequent incarceration of this subhuman. Even if he spends 23 hours a day in a cell for the rest of his rotten life, it's far more than he deserves and adds insult to injury to those that have to pay for it.
The fact of the matter is that it's much too late to "control" firearms. There are millions of them in the U.S. alone and anyone that thinks some legislation is going to make them suddenly go away and make the world a safer place is living in fantasy land. The genie is out of the bottle folks and there is NO WAY anyone is going to get it back in there. People that want a gun to commit a crime aren't going to go through legal channels to get one and those that want one for protecting themselves or their family FROM the criminals will be thrown to the wolves if legal firearms are outlawed. Guns are tangible items - they physically exist. They aren't going to magically disappear no matter how many vigils you attend. Yes, they are dangerous in the wrong hands, but a fact of life none-the-less. Car accidents, food poisoning and even surgeries kill people - should automobiles, food and medical care be outlawed too?
If you are fortunate enough to live in a place where a CCW permit is readily available, I urge you to get yours. Then practice until you are proficient with your tool. It's one of the things on the top of my "to do " list once I get out of California. I'll take a fighting chance over being a powerless victim any day.
Stay safe out there folks and take care of yourselves. No one else is going to.
As always, thanks for reading.
~JL
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Dropping the ball
The last couple months have been tough. The Mrs. and I have have started a family business (it's really her show, but when a "family" business is running, it's all hands on deck!) and at any given time I have at minimum 6 projects happening at my job, plus all the day-to-day operations stuff that comes with managing a staff of 30... Add on to that the usual household stuff like cleaning and laundry, cooking and dishes, etc. When I can squeeze in the time I'm tending my garden (it's tiny but still time consuming) and slowly but surely trying to restore an old car of mine. It seems like half the time I don't know if I'm coming or going.
The reason I'm writing all this is not because I'm griping or complaining, but because for all my best efforts a few things still fell through the cracks. I guess it was inevitable that this would happen at some point or another, but it still stings when it happens.
Six months ago, this would have been a HUGE problem - it would have led to marital dischord, parked a huge black cloud hanging over everything and left me beating myself up for days on end over it. But that was the old me. Owning up to the mistakes and apologizing can do wonders...
Everyday I try to do my best. Some days are great; others, not so much. We all make mistakes, every single one of us. The important thing is to use those mistakes as lessons and not let them drag down everything else you're working toward. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on with your life. We need to remember that it's OK to forgive ourselves too.
Thanks for reading,
~JL
The reason I'm writing all this is not because I'm griping or complaining, but because for all my best efforts a few things still fell through the cracks. I guess it was inevitable that this would happen at some point or another, but it still stings when it happens.
Six months ago, this would have been a HUGE problem - it would have led to marital dischord, parked a huge black cloud hanging over everything and left me beating myself up for days on end over it. But that was the old me. Owning up to the mistakes and apologizing can do wonders...
Everyday I try to do my best. Some days are great; others, not so much. We all make mistakes, every single one of us. The important thing is to use those mistakes as lessons and not let them drag down everything else you're working toward. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on with your life. We need to remember that it's OK to forgive ourselves too.
Thanks for reading,
~JL
Friday, July 13, 2012
Sure, why not?
Hi Folks,
It's been a very, very long time since my last post and I've been hesitant to come back, truth be told. Thanks to some kind words from a couple fellow bloggers, I'm feeling compelled to climb back on this horse and go for another ride.
The reasons for my long absence are many and I won't go into detail. Suffice it to say that the last half of 2011and the first half of 2012 has been the absolute lowest part of my life thus far and let's leave it that, shall we? I know there are those out there in the blogosphere that like to share every intimate detail of their lives and even more blog readers that will lap that stuff up, but I'm not one of those people. I like to keep my nose out of other people's business and as a rule I don't invite noses into mine.
For the last year I have been lying low and just trying to get myself and my life sorted out and I'm happy to say that the last 6 weeks have been transformative and I'm feeling better than I have in years. I feel mentally refreshed and re-energized and have a new-and-improved outlook on life. It's a good feeling after all the turmoil I've been through in the last year. Don't misunderstand - I'm not all "Pollyanna-ish" about life and the sorry state of the world, but I have embraced an attitude of acceptance and forgiveness. No, I did not find religion, nor was I "born-again". If that stuff works for you, I am very happy for you and in fact feel a little jealous of the comfort so many get from their spritual quests. I tried for years and years to no avail. But there is something so freeing about letting go of pre-conceived notions and expectations of others, and just dealing with one's own self and that which is truly important. I will do the best I can for me and mine and the rest of 'em can, as my mother liked to say, "take a long walk off a short pier".
I became acutely aware as I was dealing with my own issues of anger and resentment that there are a LOT of really pissed off people out there. Seriously, everywhere you turn, someone is going off over something. It's a freakin' epidemic! I understand WHY so many people are angry. Like they say, if you aren't angry you aren't paying attention. However, it's begun to permeate everything. You can't seem to escape it. It's a sad state of affairs. It seems even every stand-up comic you see now sets up their entire show around things that piss them off. I don't know about you, but I don't find an hour long rant about mundane, every day things that cause a burning rage in someone all that entertaining. Hell, so-called "Reality TV" has made an entire genre/empire out of people being angry about something. And the angrier they are, the better the ratings. It's all very sad and pathetic really... In the end, what does anger and resentment produce? What good does it do? Nothing. None. Nada. Zilch. It's pointless and it's damaging to yourself. Someone once told my wife "Holding on to anger is like taking poison every day and hoping someone else will die from it". After what I've been through, I can say I honestly agree with that statement.
So here I am, back in the saddle. I do hope to post more frequently than once a year, but this blog will not become a Rant-o-Rama. I do not like the way my posts were heading, and I'm determined not to become some bitter, sad bastard spewing anger, hatefulness and bile. There is FAR too much of that crap floating around on the net already. I'm sick of reading it, I'm sick of listening to it and I sure as sh!t don't want to write it and subject my few readers to it. No it's not all bubblegum and lollypops - the world is a dangerous place, there is no such thing as an even playing field and TPTB (The Powers That Be) are making it worse for the common man every day. But that is life. You win some, you lose some and if you are lucky you live to fight another day. Running around all pissed off, ranting and raving at every percieved "injustice" won't change anything except possibly give you an ulcer. We all have a very short time to hang on to this revolving mud ball Mother Earth. No "do-overs", no "next time" - this is it. When your card gets punched, which can happen at ANY time for ANY (or NO) reason, that's all folks! I don't know about you, but I don't want to go out bitter and angry. I want to enjoy life to the best of my abilities while I still can. My life is FAR from perfect, but whose life is perfect? I've had the opportunity in the course of my years to spend time with some very famous and wealthy people, and it's not all it's cracked up to be. I feel sorry for people that look up to our celebrities and long for that kind of life. It's so isolated and phony and fleeting. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. OK, maybe on my WORST enemy. If everyone tried to make the best of things instead of constantly bitching about everything that doesn't live up to their expectations/demands we would all be better off. I'm going to do my part and I encourage you all to do the same. Be excellent to each other, smile more and try not to let the bastards get you down. Be kind. Enjoy yourself and those close to you.
In closing I'd like to thank a few folks that have really helped me through my struggles over the last year. I don't know any of them personally, but through their writing and videos I've have learned quite alot and gained a new perspective. In no particular order, thank you to: James "Bison" Dakin, the Mojaverat, MD Creekmore, Patriot Nurse, Engineer 775, Lowbuck Prepper and the fine folks at Survivalistboards. Thanks for your wisdom, insight and gracious sharing of yourselves. Though we've never met, I feel like I have a bunch of "invisible" friends and I appreciate what you've all done for me, even if you didn't know it.
As always, thanks for reading! See you soon,
~JL
It's been a very, very long time since my last post and I've been hesitant to come back, truth be told. Thanks to some kind words from a couple fellow bloggers, I'm feeling compelled to climb back on this horse and go for another ride.
The reasons for my long absence are many and I won't go into detail. Suffice it to say that the last half of 2011and the first half of 2012 has been the absolute lowest part of my life thus far and let's leave it that, shall we? I know there are those out there in the blogosphere that like to share every intimate detail of their lives and even more blog readers that will lap that stuff up, but I'm not one of those people. I like to keep my nose out of other people's business and as a rule I don't invite noses into mine.
For the last year I have been lying low and just trying to get myself and my life sorted out and I'm happy to say that the last 6 weeks have been transformative and I'm feeling better than I have in years. I feel mentally refreshed and re-energized and have a new-and-improved outlook on life. It's a good feeling after all the turmoil I've been through in the last year. Don't misunderstand - I'm not all "Pollyanna-ish" about life and the sorry state of the world, but I have embraced an attitude of acceptance and forgiveness. No, I did not find religion, nor was I "born-again". If that stuff works for you, I am very happy for you and in fact feel a little jealous of the comfort so many get from their spritual quests. I tried for years and years to no avail. But there is something so freeing about letting go of pre-conceived notions and expectations of others, and just dealing with one's own self and that which is truly important. I will do the best I can for me and mine and the rest of 'em can, as my mother liked to say, "take a long walk off a short pier".
I became acutely aware as I was dealing with my own issues of anger and resentment that there are a LOT of really pissed off people out there. Seriously, everywhere you turn, someone is going off over something. It's a freakin' epidemic! I understand WHY so many people are angry. Like they say, if you aren't angry you aren't paying attention. However, it's begun to permeate everything. You can't seem to escape it. It's a sad state of affairs. It seems even every stand-up comic you see now sets up their entire show around things that piss them off. I don't know about you, but I don't find an hour long rant about mundane, every day things that cause a burning rage in someone all that entertaining. Hell, so-called "Reality TV" has made an entire genre/empire out of people being angry about something. And the angrier they are, the better the ratings. It's all very sad and pathetic really... In the end, what does anger and resentment produce? What good does it do? Nothing. None. Nada. Zilch. It's pointless and it's damaging to yourself. Someone once told my wife "Holding on to anger is like taking poison every day and hoping someone else will die from it". After what I've been through, I can say I honestly agree with that statement.
So here I am, back in the saddle. I do hope to post more frequently than once a year, but this blog will not become a Rant-o-Rama. I do not like the way my posts were heading, and I'm determined not to become some bitter, sad bastard spewing anger, hatefulness and bile. There is FAR too much of that crap floating around on the net already. I'm sick of reading it, I'm sick of listening to it and I sure as sh!t don't want to write it and subject my few readers to it. No it's not all bubblegum and lollypops - the world is a dangerous place, there is no such thing as an even playing field and TPTB (The Powers That Be) are making it worse for the common man every day. But that is life. You win some, you lose some and if you are lucky you live to fight another day. Running around all pissed off, ranting and raving at every percieved "injustice" won't change anything except possibly give you an ulcer. We all have a very short time to hang on to this revolving mud ball Mother Earth. No "do-overs", no "next time" - this is it. When your card gets punched, which can happen at ANY time for ANY (or NO) reason, that's all folks! I don't know about you, but I don't want to go out bitter and angry. I want to enjoy life to the best of my abilities while I still can. My life is FAR from perfect, but whose life is perfect? I've had the opportunity in the course of my years to spend time with some very famous and wealthy people, and it's not all it's cracked up to be. I feel sorry for people that look up to our celebrities and long for that kind of life. It's so isolated and phony and fleeting. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. OK, maybe on my WORST enemy. If everyone tried to make the best of things instead of constantly bitching about everything that doesn't live up to their expectations/demands we would all be better off. I'm going to do my part and I encourage you all to do the same. Be excellent to each other, smile more and try not to let the bastards get you down. Be kind. Enjoy yourself and those close to you.
In closing I'd like to thank a few folks that have really helped me through my struggles over the last year. I don't know any of them personally, but through their writing and videos I've have learned quite alot and gained a new perspective. In no particular order, thank you to: James "Bison" Dakin, the Mojaverat, MD Creekmore, Patriot Nurse, Engineer 775, Lowbuck Prepper and the fine folks at Survivalistboards. Thanks for your wisdom, insight and gracious sharing of yourselves. Though we've never met, I feel like I have a bunch of "invisible" friends and I appreciate what you've all done for me, even if you didn't know it.
As always, thanks for reading! See you soon,
~JL
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