You Just Don't Know...Do Ya?

I don't know, perhaps, I am stupid just to expect people to know stuff....That old assume.....Make an ass out of you and me concept.

Yesterday morning I made a comment about Emma Stone going parking with her boyfriend, that I later took down because I had two people write me and ask...." What's "parking."

Younger readers, I do have a few. I thought at first they were " teasing" the old Govteach.

Alas, they were not.

I've been out of the "bidness" for almost a decade now, and well, I don't really understand the teenage mind like I once did....

Parking, well, it was at least in the 1970s was a social interaction in which a couple, generally a boy and girl found a dark lonely spot generally off in the woods of rural Orange County as I remember to " swap spit."

Sort of a science experiment if you will....

In those days, most vehicles had bench seats, even pick-up trucks, a seat that went from one side of the vehicle's door to the other side's door. In the front and back seats, making these " science experiments" easier to conduct.

Some of these even resulted in reproduction occurring, as birth control was not readily available as it is today.

In the 70s, to find a prophylactic, you would either have to go to the one gas station in town with a machine ( Billups, whose slogan was...." Fill-up with Billups, your Friend.") to buy a questionable at best condom out of the machine in the dirtiest bathroom in North America. ( Who knows what quality or how long it had been in that machine, plus, they were made of " sheep skin." The prophylactic made of a lamb intestine, used in 18th Century Scotland originally.   )

Or you'd have to ask your local pharmacist for one, because they were kept in a drawer a behind the counter...The same druggist who sat down the pew with you at the Baptist church on Sunday's.....

And in those days, doctor's wouldn't just write prescriptions for birth control pills. Generally, it was a gynecologist who wrote those for girls who were getting married in a month or so.....

So, a lot of us, when we parked it only went so far. Even in college. ( Gotta complete that degree man...)

You've got to remember in those days, you got a girl pregnant, you had to get married. Or if the boy disappeared, the girl would disappear for 9 months, often under the guise of living with a sick family member or visiting grandma for a year, when in truth, they were in the Edna Gladney Home for Unwed Mother's in Fort Worth......Adopted out the child....

And it wasn't just guys who "ran outta gas" ( a euphemism for parking for you uneducated.) I've been with girls who have suggested places or  heck, I was even with a girl who was driving who " ran outta gas."

I was down FM 1135 coming back down it from Bridge City and looked over, and saw a side road and said to myself, " I've been down that dirt road a couple of times before." 

Anyway, history lesson this morning for you youth.

I am guessing the world as changed....Or perhaps it hasn't.....Them kids are coming from someplace....

F*ck You And.....

I read this is morning and I well, just no more.....Just No More.

Just Fuck You and the Clap Dripping Mule You Ride in on....

The fat man can't take much more. No not me.

I am talking about Santa.

The fat man in the red suit who brings you gifts as a child, breaking in like a "thief in the night." But instead leaves you stuff you've been wanting for a year, only to discover the bubble wrap it came in is more fun....

For years and years he's been abused.

For a while the Evangelical community in the 1980s called him "evil" because he was an elf, and elves were "demonic."

Coca-Cola for years has used him to sell their product.

Barbour Jackets this year is using the "Fat Man" as a way to sell their jackets....Like Santa wears a green wax jacket.

This year, there is a movement to make the " Fat Man" gender neutral.

Santa is not a 'he' nor is he a 'she'.....Santa should go on a diet, wear more modern clothes and have tattoos. 


27% of people think he should " upgrade." Be using Amazon Prime....An iPhone, and stop abusing those reindeer and get a "flying car."

Come on man, I know Santa changes throughout the ages, but slight changes. Not dramatic.

The old Victorian Santa of my youth,well, that's Santa.

You can tell you kids whatever you want about Santa....They 're your kids....Hell, maybe you don't have Santa at your house, and that's okay by me. The " mystery" was gone with our child at about age...5....He figured stuff out quick....

But leave most people's St. Nick alone.

Besides, us " Big Boys" need some heroes in the "Fat Boy" realm...

TPC

Or old Neches Butane as it was called for years and years.

We all know it is our Bread and Butter in this area. We all know that it is risky working at these plants\refineries.

But it is a Catch 22 situation. It pays many of you a comfortable living. The taxes received pay for fire department, law enforcement, and keeps our schools open. If it were for the kids of these plant workers, I wouldn't have had kids to teach. I probably would have wound up in the Dallas. Or Northeast Texas teaching.

That said, it is scary when 3 cities, 50,000 people have been evacuated due to a plant explosion.

Questions arise.

What steps will be taken to avoid this occurring again? Can anything really be done?

Will TPC reopen ever again?

Will PNG Schools be able to open anytime soon? Or will classes being moved ?

With all the claims from damage, will TPC their insurance provider wind up going bankrupt?

Lots of questions, lots of concerns this morning.

Former Students in the News

The media has been awash in recent days of Buna ISD alumni making " missteps in their lives."

Serious missteps.

And for the most part,  these people were likeable individuals, when they were students of mine in school.

I then take a look at the social media and there are posts concerning them, that we need to be praying for, and thinking about them. And their families.

Yes, we should, but in reality, it was them who caused pain not only for their families, but the many victims they left in their wake.

You may not know, and while I am no longer in contact with many of my ex-students, I want to see you do well.

This next comment may seem heartless and cold, but I can't find myself praying for them at this time.

I'm sure I will have at some point have to explain my action, or as in this case, inaction to my creator.

You see, I have a prayer list a mile long. ( Yeah, I know, I cuss, I take a "nip," I get "off the rails" ... I am not perfect.)

But I still get up and pray every morning at about 4am. ( You'd be amazed at in-tune with God you can get at that hour.)

- I have a dear friend, whom I love as a brother, who needs a heart transplant.

- I have another friend who needs a new liver.

- I have at least two in the hospital right now and the doctors can't figure out what is wrong.

- I have a number of you expecting a third, a second, a first , a fourth child, and  some are worried about the pregnancy, some are scared to death of becoming a new parent.

- I have people who are out of work, and I pray they find a job that makes them feel fulfilled.

- I am praying for teachers this week that they make it through the day....the day before a holiday is like " herding cats."

- I pray for my former students in law enforcement, that they make it home safely every day.

This is just a partial list.

They need my prayers....Badly....

I am sure at some point, I will change, but right now, those who have inflicted self-wounds, and serious wounds to others, well,  I'm just having a hard time being sympathetic.

Oh Kerry, This Has to End....

I somewhat....Somewhat, I get this from W.E. " Bill" Thomas ( My dad)....And he'd approve, but hell, he made it look so damn easy, but in truth, he put a good deal of effort into it.

And my brother, well, he's as bad as I am.....Perhaps worse. ( All those damn Allen Edmonds shoes)

When I went through my 3 separate interview process for the Buna ISD to hire me, I will never forget going by my parent's house afterwards, wearing a nice blue blazer, khaki slacks, UCL tie, penny loafers, and my father saying to me, " You showed up looking like that and they hired you anyway?"

I grew up in a fop's house......It's hard to keep up with a dandy's dandy.....Beau Brummel had nothing on him.

Look up Brummel...he spent 2-3 hours a day tying his cravat( his tie).... 

It's 36 days until Christmas and already I am thinking about what I am wearing for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

I have been looking at what I have in the closet and trying to decide what I am going to wear.

Yesterday, it was, maybe if I get a vest to go with my navy blue suit, wear my pocket watch and chain, pin-dot bow tie, I could go Edwardian England AKA Churchill-ian....Then I decided to price Homburg hats like Churchill always wore( I am of an age I can perhaps pull-off a Homburg).....I'm not willing to pay what they want for one. For a hat I might wear once...I'll check Village Hat later and check what they might have on prices today, but their hats are somewhat inferior after a few wearings.....A Catch 22 situation...

Then this morning, I got to thinking, perhaps it will not be "warm" for Christmas and I could "tweed" up and wear the tartan tie from that collection I have? Flat cap, or the Fedora hat.....I found a pair of Tommy Hilfiger woolen trousers in a nice brown herringbone I forgot I had.....

This is just for Christmas Eve.....

Christmas Day, well, a little less formal, but still coat and tie......

Maybe I should just chuck it this year, wear a nice OCBD shirt, blue jeans and Tony Llamas? That's what everyone else will wear, even to church services....I'll be better dressed than the minister, and I remember the day when the clergy set the standard.

Naaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh....I'm going to try and "out-dress" you every day.....

And You Know Buna ISD Would Do This in a Heartbeat

Maybe they have already and I just, well, missed it. I leave the country and miss things, and to be honest, I don't give a good shit what's going on back home ( Unless the Compound is about to flood, like it did when we were in Thurso.)

But, I digress.....Again....

I was sent a PM by some from the area, ex-student, who will remain nameless.

It seems the Como-Pickton ISD will be holding classes in New Testament  and Old Testament  in the future. The board approved 7-0.

Now, the ISD is in Hopkins County, near where my Mom's people are from, I even had a great-aunt who was the June Burke/Tandy Boyd of the old Pickton ISD before the two schools consolidated.  She taught high school English and was like every other English teacher in America. ( Why is that? My HS English teacher was like this when dinosaurs roamed the earth.)

So, I know what the ISD is like.....Pretty much every smaller school district in East Texas.

And if I was there, they'd look at my transcript( Lamar used to offer Bible classes as electives, I took 12 hours, the max because they were easy for me.....It's where I first came in contact with the Episcopal Church at the old Canterbury Club....The Episcopal Priest was teaching the Four Gospels Course.) And then I went to a theological seminary.

Like a bullseye on my back...

It'd be a fucking nightmare.

How would I handle the conflicts in the Bible between predestination and free-will?

How would I handle the Song of Solomon? It's pretty racy stuff?

How would I handle the fact the Bible says the earth is only 6000 years old? ( I believe it is millions upon millions)

How would I tell them Baptists the "Water into wine" was actually real wine, not Welch's Grape Juice?

How would I handle the Book of Leviticus and the prohibition against pork, lobster, and shrimp? ( I could see me eating a piece of bacon that day in class.)

How would I breach the concept of Hell? ( You know, I have Mormon friends whose concept and teaching on Hell is closer to my own belief than I care to admit....)

How would I explain that "East of the Suez, there's no Ten Commandments " as Kipling wrote?( Ten Suggestions as some of you believe)

How would I handle that entire "End of Time" and "Rapture" discussion? ( Rapture is a 19th Century concept, there is no "Rapture" in the Bible.)

I literally could see me getting fired for this.....Or if I was at the end of my career, pulling up and retiring at Christmas break.

Then again, I could make it soooooo hard, no one would take the class....

Now, I want to Sit in the Bathtub and Drink Whisky

Or sing" Starman "by David Bowie.

I laughed, I cried, I killed all of 10 hours. ( I did take breaks.)

Season 3 of "The Crown" is in the books at the Compound.

Maybe it is just me, but it was my favorite season so far.

Perhaps it is because I remember many of the events that occurred. ( Long time Anglophile, even in my youth. )

Helena Bonham Carter is a jewel.  Plays Princess Marget to a "T." They could not have picked a better "older" Princess.

You'll feel sorry for Prince Charles. The boy just doesn't "Get" being a royal. And in truth, I really don't either.

Jason Watkins hits Prime Minister Harold Wilson. I remember him in high school Wilson looking and acting just as Watkins plays him.

Olivia Coleman, who plays Queen Elizabeth II? Does a good job, so much so, I REALLY don't care for the Queen of England at this point. 

10 episodes. About 59 minutes each.....

My favorite? Episode 4, in which we learn about the life of the queen's husband, Prince Phillip's Mother.....Hint, she's a Greek Orthodox Nun.....

Oh, and I've got to try it, in one scene, Prince Charles' favorite uncle, Lord Mountbatten is seen in a bathtub , drinking what looks like " scotch" from the color....He's doing so, while his Black Lab dog sit by the tub.....

Now, I need to try it....

Okay....Some of You Folks Need to Check

This is a pretty specialized blog, and if you keep up with this, well, it is somewhat important.

And for some folks, it is good because, well, I'm not "discussing" the Buna ISD.

Ancestry.com has updated their DNA results. It seems they are in a continuing process, so I wonder what it'll be in 5 years?

So, here is MY new DNA results-

English- 63%...Not a shocker here, to quote Gilbert & Sullivan, " He is an Englishman." Known this for years.

Ireland-Scotland- 32% this has increased to almost 1/3 of my DNA. Again not a shocker. Feel unbelievably ' at home' in both Ireland and especially Scotland.( I don't know, perhaps the increase was due to a computer algorithm knowing we've been to both Ireland and Scotland in the last year...)

French-3% I expected this to be higher, but it is not. This is the first appearance.

Swedish-2% The Scandinavian DNA keeps appearing, in some form or another. It is like they can't nail it down.

How did yours change?

Okay Buna.....I Know

I know I hit a few nerves these past couple of days with the blog.....

I even had a couple of people " lose their damn minds" in the process...And you can just about guess over which one of the two blogs. 

One person asked.....Why?

Well, if I didn't do it, who would?

Often this is done to let you know, you're not alone in your thinking, and to remind people, not everyone is like you.

Schools have to try take care of everyone equally.

And being fair and equal is often hard to do, but sometimes, you're not even trying......Do you " catch my drift?"

As I often say, " How you going to explain this to Jesus?"

Anyway, thanks for read the blog.  Big reads this week.

What the CORNBREAD F*CK Buna ISD?

I heard about this a day or two ago and well, I tried to let it lie, but yesterday, I got a phone call from a parent all upset about speaker at the Buna School.

Seems the guy was speaking about bullying.....And why it is bad......And that is a good thing.....

The guy was also the evangelist for a revival at the Baptist Church out on Highway 96 as you're headed out of town towards K-Ville....

Man, let me tell you what, that revival money is good dough. I know, I have done revivals before and was shocked at the " Love Offering" they gave me....and this was back in the 1980s.....Before I got real with myself.....And got out of the church business before I lost my "soul." ( If you are really listening to Jesus, he's going to tell you a bunch of stuff you do NOT want to hear.)

But I digress.

Three different sources have told me that while the speaker didn't mention " Jesus," and said " Christian" only once, there were apparently references to " Big Guy" and " Going Home" and " Higher Power."

And bullying was discussed only once.....

Now I know it is Buna and the Evangelical community doesn't really care what anyone else thinks. ( Don't tell me otherwise.)

But, man, bringing an evangelist to a school to speak?

And I know some of those kids "need Jesus." 

But.....You're playing with fire.

Sorry Evangelical Christian community, but it is wrong.

Sorry Buna ISD....It's wrong....You see, I still believe in the separation of church and state.

And Buna ISD, you're the fucking state.......And I know you've had for years a problem understanding the lines.....

Religion.....Faith....Whatever you care to call it is a personal thing, and when you are dealing with minors, it is their parent's business, not yours.

And it certainly isn't Buna ISD's business.....

What the F*ck Buna?

I am personally going through something right now, somewhat of a theological crisis.

If you're a person who studied the Bible, theology, doctrine, religion like I have for well, 60+ years, it happens.

Seminaries can screw you up.....Badly.....

Literally last night, I had decided to take a break from the blog. 

Then, I see this....And cuss.

Actually, I was sent what happened through about 5 PMs.....So, it's not just me....

Maybe the Pentecostals, Methodists, Nazarenes, just any Arminian theology are correct, you can "Fall from Grace."

So, yesterday, the new Brookshire Brothers opened in Buna.

Good, I am all about capitalism. If it was closer, I would shop there.....

Then, I look and the band and the cheerleaders are playing at the grand opening....

What the cornbread fuck?

Are these kids getting paid?

Why the fuck are they out of class?

Did your boss let you out of work go down to the grand opening? 

Now, the next business that opens......Do they get the same treatment?

If not, why not?

Yep, This is Why.....

Yep, I know people get all upset, and it upsets me too, then again, years ago, it wasn't this expensive. And it makes me wonder what the world the outcome is going to be....

Yep, today is why I went to college.

I will never forget walking to the gym about 10am one morning for some sort of assembly in the Magnolia ISD and Keith Durrett saying to a group of male teachers as he was looking at a guy shoveling dirt in a sleet storm......" Boys, that's why we went to college."

And some of you don't think it is, but teaching is hard, really hard if you're doing it right, Mr. Taucer and I made it look easy because, well, we were damn good at it....No brag, just fact....

Then again, getting pension at age 53 did help.....

Now, there is nothing wrong with hard "get your hands dirty work." My dad was a welder.

But it takes all sort of people to make this mess work.

Teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, accountants, tech geeks.........

And yes, welders, pipefitters, plumbers..........Even the folks frying your potatoes at DQ.

Don't get onto people because they went to college and you didn't. It seriously sounds like some form of envy when you do....

So, I Came Across This

So, I came across this on Facebook, and in truth, hey, I have eaten worse.

If you're a Coonass, most of the time you'll( and I too) eat shit that no one else will touch..Boudin? Squirrel? Raccoon?  Every reptile that slithers, swims has made it into some sort of a dish...

Come on, I was eating Lungs and Liver chopped up into oatmeal every day in Scotland for breakfast along with blood sausage.

Hell, I ate stuff in the People's Republic that I have not a clue what it was.....It tastes like either pork, the proverbial "tastes like chicken, " or something similar.

Hey, we saw dog in the butcher shop in the PRC....

I ate donkey.

I ate sea slugs, which looked just like a condom on a plate.

Amusing to you, and I'll be honest, I chuckled too because, well, it is true.... but if you were in a culture that went through periods of starvation, you'd eat whatever you'd get your hands on too....

You Know, Some of You Are Just Hateful

I don't know what else to call it.

I am not sure if it is a sign of the times, it is the political climate we are in, but man, things are just rearing their ugly head.

I had a dear friend concerned about his parents using the word" N*gg"r" still and upset they were trading( as in business) with a black person.

I read this morning where parents had ground their son because the boy, who is white, was dating a girl of a mixed race.

I have a former student I had planned to kill if ever saw them again, because they had written me and called my daughter in law a " Gook." And thought it was "funny."( Another student of mine, with a cooler head, reminded me I would get anything but the rest of my life in Huntsville.)

The "Gook" student is too damn stupid to know, that the term "Gook" is used ( Originally )for Koreans.  During the Korean war American GI's heard the Koreans use the term " Miguk" meaning, in Korean " Americans". They thought they were saying " Me Gook."( It was later used to include Vietnam.)

It isn't a racist term against Chinese. But then again, most Americans can't tell the difference. I am amazed Deb and I can tell you if a person in Chinese, Korean, Japanese , Vietnamese in about 2 seconds now.

I don't know where we are headed in this country.

It isn't going to get any better anytime soon. 

Maybe in the end, it will be our downfall?

I can see the "wheels coming off the truck" and everyone pointing fingers at everyone else, rather than blame themselves....

I don't know, I keep saying it might be someone else's turn.....

I'm Thinking About Sending Them a Bill

Seriously, I am thinking about sending them an invoice. I doubt they pay it, but I am thinking about sending one of the parties the bill.

And I should be glad, but in reality, the more I think about it, the madder I get.

I was supposed to do a wedding this morning.

I had a rehearsal yesterday afternoon. the event was to take place in Jefferson County.

It was a friend of a friend of a friend deal.

Now, if you are reading this, you get the " Friends and Family Rate" which means I do the wedding for nothing.( Whatever you want to consider yourself.)

But people I do not know, I charge a rate. If I have to do a wedding and rehearsal, $200. Just the wedding. $125.

Mostly it is to keep from having to actually do a wedding of people I do not know.

I made a literally flying trip to the farm in NE Texas in one day to winterize the farm. I would have stayed several days if it wasn't for the wedding. I had even carried a .303 rifle just in case.

Yesterday, I was informed the wedding had been cancelled.

She had backed out.

Seems she had feelings for one of her bridesmaids.

This was not a "gay" wedding.

I am not even wanting to think what the groom is thinking today.

I am hoping he is saying, "I am glad I found out before."

I am seriously thinking about sending the "bride" an invoice.

Or just stop doing weddings for people I do not know....

Okay, I'm through bitching for today...

Fights at Popeye's

I can't remember the last time I ate Popeye's chicken, not that I do not like their "glory bird" it is just I can't handle the amount of spice they put in the bird. I would have to take 15 Prilosec and a 55 gallon drum of Tums that evening to be able to sleep.

And I normally do not visit this website, but it was sent to me this morning....

Click on this link and it will take you videos of people fighting, wrecking their Mercedes, just losing their damn minds over a chicken sandwich. 

There are 10 videos in the above link. 

We have lost our damn minds in this country.  OVER a damn sandwich.

I'm Done

Just done.

Maybe it's because I am 62 years old.

Maybe because I am not a kid.

Maybe because there are no kids around the Compound anymore and no prospect of any kids. ( I know, I know, none of my damn business.)

I got a Christmas Toy Catalog a day ago and did not even look at what kids want now.

It is November 7th and I am already done with Christmas. Kirbyville had their Christmas decorations up.I noticed as I came back home from the Farm two nights ago.

 I cussed.

I made a mental note not to look and see if Buna had their dildo in a box up yet.( I am sorry it upsets you, but for 20 years teaching in Buna, I kept my mouth....shut.....And I don't want to hear from you about it....)

I really am not excited by the prospect of of Turkey and Dressing either the last of this month or on Christmas. ( I may come up with a giant Rib-Roast and some sort of potato...Or hell pinto beans.....)

Even though I followed through with the tradition of 103 items on my Christmas List, in reality, I could go today and buy any of it if I wanted it that badly. ( Might have to pay it off, but I could get it)

I do like the cooler weather.  But, dad-gum it makes every joint hurt.

And when I was teaching I loved it because, well, it was 2 weeks out of school.

I got to watching Roku and it has "Major Crimes" all 6 seasons. And every damn ad on it was for some Christmas crap......That, and I forgot how much I hated the character "Rusty" on the show. Marathoning it makes you pull for the serial killer to cut "Rusty's" throat.

Maybe when the tree goes up here at the Compound, or maybe closer to the date I may change my mind, but right now, I could give a good shit less.

School Until 6:00 PM????

So, a bill has been proposed in the US Senate for classes to be 10 hours long now.

Start at 8AM and last until 6PM.

The bill is called " Family Friendly Schools Act." and has been introduced by Sen. Kamala Harris of California.

Sen. Harris said the following concerning the bill-
“So, I know firsthand that, for many working parents, juggling between school schedules and work schedules is a common cause of stress and financial hardship. But, this does not have to be the case. My bill provides an innovative solution that will help reduce the burden of child care on working families. It is time we modernize the school schedule to better meet the needs of our students and their families.”

Fuck that shit.

You have a kid, you raise them.

It's the school's job to try and teach them the basics. Math, English, Science, History....

Some of you want the schools to teach you everything, including stuff parents should be teaching you.

You're more worried about your kid playing some ballgame, or some sort of dance, then the basics of life and some of you want schools to start doing that.

Hell, Communist nations, Fascist( an authoritarian) nations are the ones who want the kids more and more. The more they have you, the more they are indoctrinated.

I understand this is supposed to be for working parents, so someone can watch their kids.....But is that really the government's job?

Virginity?

So, I was pressing the scan button on the Honda yesterday trying to find anything to listen to, when I came across a Christian radio station out of Northeast Texas and this was the topic.

It seems a rapper by the name of TI has been going with his daughter to her doctor's appointments to check and see if her hymen, thus her virginity is still intact.

I do not have a damn clue who TI is. 

The daughter is 18 years old. Legally an adult.

And the "talkers" on the Christian station were very favorable about this occurring.

 Is it just me, or is this the creepiest thing I have ever heard?

So, I did some research and discover if has been discussed on  Patheos, a religious/non-religious site.

What doctor is discussing an adult's health with a parent?

And reading further, it seems that TI is okay that his 15 year old son is sexually active.

You know, I understand many of you would like for your kids to wait...But you know, when they are in their 20s, 30s, you know, and they are on their on.

I know "back in the day" people my age often got married very early, mostly due to sex. And it often, more times than not resulted disastrously.

Remaining a virgin is a personal matter. And should be done for oneself, not because someone tells you to wait.

Is This Everyplace?

Maybe it is an isolated event, but it seems like it is happening more and more when I go into this institution....

And I am wondering if we need to change to another one?

I went to our credit union today to cash a check. Not a check of mine, it was a check I received yesterday.

Again, not a personal check I received from another person, not a two-party check, not a check from some odd-ball instuitution....

It was a check from....

The State of Texas.

I was given the third degree.

Had to show my ID, which is fine, put they have scanned my ID in the last 3 months again.

And teller had the gall to ask why I had received the check....To which I replied it was " My business." 

And the check was less than $100. Not a huge amount.

This is at my credit union, I have the money to cover it the State's check bounces. ( If checks from Texas bounce, we're in trouble.)

What credit union are you using? Are you happy?

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Remember, remember!
    The fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder treason and plot;
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder treason
    Should ever be forgot!
    Guy Fawkes and his companions
    Did the scheme contrive,
    To blow the King and Parliament
    All up alive.
    Threescore barrels, laid below,
    To prove old England's overthrow.
    But, by God's providence, him they catch,
    With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
    A stick and a stake
    For King James's sake!
    If you won't give me one,
    I'll take two,
    The better for me,
    And the worse for you.
    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
    A pint of beer to wash it down,
    And a jolly good fire to burn him.
    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Oh Man.....You Think You Got Troubles

You just think you got troubles. You do not know how good you got it, seriously.

I don't know what you people want, seriously.

I love going to Great Britain. I really do. I would love to live there for a year, just to see what it is really like.

But, they are going to have "General Election" next month...Up and called, as they can, in the middle of a parliamentary term.

And the entire election revolves around whether Britain will break away from the European Union. ( EU)

And there are people for, and people against.

There are 4 major political parties in Britain( The UK) not including all the other minor parties....(Majors, Conservatives ( called the Tories), Labour which is the left wing party, Liberal Democrats, also liberal, and Scottish Nationalist.) ( Minor parties who have reps in the Parliament include, Democratic Unionist Party, Ulster Unionists, a Welsh Nationalist Party I couldn't spell if I tried, Sinn Féin( IRA political Party) they are elected, never take their seats in the elected body, but accept their paycheck, Independent members...and On and On....

This morning, a new party announced they would run 600 candidates for office in the UK, the Brexit Party.

The Brexit Party is pretty much a one issue party, to break away from the EU so the UK can be an independent nation from the EU.

Not to be confused with the Scottish Nationalist who are also pretty much a one issue party, Independence for Scotland.

No one will win a majority in the UK Parliament which means someone will negotiate a coalition government made up of two or more political parties......

This Brexit business will probably mean that Scotland will become an independent nation. And Northern Ireland will join the Rep. of Ireland, unifying that island as one nation.

Confusing? Yes it is, so confusing, most of the British have a hard time understanding what is going on in that nation.

And I just gave you a very, very simplified version.

And then, those of you griping about heating your house, your place of business, your school....In the UK, houses are heated to about 55-63F in the winter and there, some think it is a waste of energy.  Heck, we have somewhat adopted that heating attitude here  at the Compound.  We keep the temp in the winter at about 61-63F.

And have adopted the British belief, cold? Put on a sweater. Still cold? Put on another sweater. Drink a cup of tea, coffee, cocoa.

Kwitchurbitchen. You could still be in Thurso, Scotland this morning. Cloudy and 48F for a high. Heck, that temp and rain, all winter. ( I wish I was there )

I'm Trying to Avoid Hell, So Stop It

I figure if I get into heaven it will be a fluke anyway at this point in time, so, please, some of you need to stop it.

Just stop it.

And I know this a thing more likely to happen with someone I do not know very well.

I went up town and ran into someone I had seen at one of the weddings I had been the celebrant at over the last few weeks and they referred to me as " Reverend Thomas."

I cringed.

I'm glad I was not in a liquor store when they said it.

Please, don't call me " Brother Thomas"( I was called that at a wedding) or "Reverend Thomas or anything with any sort of cleric title.

Yes, I am ordained/licensed by two different denominations/organizations. One pretty, easy going about stuff you do, the other, not so much.

Yes, I studied at a theological seminary.

Yes, I served on church staff.

But, I hate being addressed with the title.

Once again, you're reading this, you are grown up people call me "Kerry" or if that makes you uncomfortable, you can keep calling me "Mr. Thomas." ( Unless you're Tara, she has to call me Mr. Thomas.)

I know some of you go from "Kerry" to "Mr. Thomas" to "Kerry" in a conversation and I know if is sometimes hard to make that change.

But please, no religious/clerical titles.

Not Again.

I don't know. I thought we had a chance of getting rid of this in the state of Texas, but alas, it failed.

And I understand that a number of you look forward to this weekend all year, only to dread the "Spring Forward"weekend in the Spring.

It is "Fall Back" weekend and we set out clocks back one hour tonight.

That means I will be getting up, or at least waking up at 3:30AM for the next week.....And I'll be starving at supper because we'll be an hour behind time to eat our evening meal.

I keep thinking someone will set our clocks one way or another and leave them alone.

I know it means the sun will be up " sooner" according to the clock, but the sun will start setting a little after 5pm.

I keep saying if I was ever to run for state office, my two issues, " End Daylight Savings" and " Do Away With School Standardized Testing."

So tonight, set your clocks back a hour folks....

The King

Just watched " The King" on Netflix.

Yes, first thing this morning.

Yes, it is a mixture of Shakespeare's Henry IV and Henry V.

It is more based on Shakespeare than the actual history during the Hundred Years War. 

That said, it doesn't give either Henry IV or V its due justice.

It is spectacular in it's cinematic scope....However....

For the longest it dragged...And dragged....

It has  Falstaff who Shakespeare had as a  jovial, I don't give a damn person....Instead the movie has him as a hipster, all depressed and sad, and much of the time, hard to understand.

Henry V in reality was a bloodthirsty character played into a PC type modern character by the movie.

And Robert Patterson has the French Dauphin(  Prince, the oldest son of the French King) was awful. It was like a caricature...It was hard to watch

There were so many mistakes in both history and in Shakespeare, I had a hard time getting through it...

The only way I would suggest you watching it is if you sitting around and can't find anything else to watch.

Two out of Five stars...