The First Time in a Long Damn Time

I have not been like this in a long damn time. I guess many of us are here.

For the first time in well, forever, I did not early vote. Even when I lived in Jefferson County, I would loop by the early voting place and vote. And generally it is on the the last Friday to do so.

I think part of it is Orange County has moved our ( Mauriceville's) early voting site way the hell down FM 1442 to the the county " Convention Center". Literally 13 miles from here.

Another part is I can't decide who to vote for in about 4 races including the one for sheriff.

I've considered taking a Sacajawea Dollar coin into the voting both and flipping the coin to see who to cast my ballot for.

And on others, I have thought about just putting an 'X' through both names. I know in the past my late father has place an 'X' across the entire ballot he was so disgusted with the choice of candidates. 

I know Tuesday's vote for my precinct is at the Assembly of God Church in Mauriceville.

I know I won't but I've seriously thought about doing to time honored tradition of 50% of Americans and not vote.

I'm sure I will actually vote, but I am certainly not enthused.

I may take my ballot, void of any actually votes and place it in the box.

Happy to Do It

I'm generally happy to help you in anyway I can. Be a reference on an application. Give you some sort of advice, and well, sometimes it might be good...or not so good. But I will try to tell you the truth about stuff.

And of course I am more than glad to marry you.

It is strange, I am booked for October, and not a wedding in June. You never know. ( I have one in October I am thrilled to be performing)

So, I have a wedding a couple of weeks from now in March, or at least, I thought that I did.

The groom had asked me months ago to do the wedding, and because it was someone I know, it was a freebie. I as many of you know, don't understand the concept of a paid ministry, and I was one one time and felt " dirty" every paycheck. So, I got out. ( Remember how did St. Paul earn a living? Passing the plate? No, he made tents...)

Well, it seems the bride, whom I do not know, did not know, and well she has an uncle that is some sort of minister.

And that's fine.

I just wish they'd let me know a month ago, I tuned down a soiree that I can't get back.

I know this sounds ugly, but please check with your " to be" spouse who you ask to be you officiate is okay. ( Most of the time it is okay because, well, it just is.) ( And this goes for anyone you ask to officiate, not just me.)

God Bless Those of You Who Have to Do This.....

I do not know how you do it, I really do not know.  I know I have done so in the past, but I guess I could do and may have to do so at some point.

As many of you know, we went to Houston yesterday so " The Boss" could get a medical procedure performed.

And on the way home from H-Town I got to thinking, I could not drive here like some folks every damn day. I have a nephew by marriage who drives fro the Woodlands to Sugar Land every day.

No, we made that mistake of getting behind a "car fire " on Hwy 288 and let the circus begin.

I came away from the entire experience with the following thoughts....

- People got too much money. I saw 4 Jags, a Bentley, 2 Teslas, and about ten vanity plates.

- People can't drive. Just can't drive. I am of the mind we need to bring back a DPS Trooper giving people driving tests again.

- Deb took me to a "pretend" Mexican place called " Gringos" in the Deer Park / LaPorte area. Full of " Gringos" thinking this was actual Mexican food, and I'll admit I too like a good Tex-Mex, well, this is like the food you get in a Chinese Buffet, it ain't well, real Chinese.( That's okay, I've eaten at a fancy hotel in china with them trying to fix " Western/American" food. Fried fish ain't little goldfish sized fish with the head) Not to take away, I enjoyed the heck outta my " Presidente " Plate.

- If I lived in H-Town I'd have to at some point learn enough of an oral second language to get around. Spanish? If I was an area near the kids, like Sugar Land, it'd probably be Mandarin. Just enough to "fake" it, and a 62, might be hard.

- Don't know, as Deb said, if she's gotten a job in the Medical Center, we'd bought a Townhouse, Condo, something in that area. I guess I would have adjusted.  But when we lived in Fort Worth we had a house in a working class neighborhood with a huge backyard with 8 pecan trees. I loved that backyard.

- BTW- I did the Ash Wednesday fast yesterday. Sun up- Sun down before I had my "fake" Mexican. Perhaps at this time in my life, my last.

-And giving up the worst thing I can. I've given up " Cokes" for Lent. I'm going to frinkin' die....

Just want to thank everyone for the prayers.

Mardi Gras

Don't know why, but I have a difficult enough time spelling Mardi Gras and my spell check wants to change it every time I write it......

But, I digress.

Today is " Fat Tuesday" the last day before you are go into the 40 days before Lent in which you are " supposed" to fast and give up something important to you for the Lenten period. The fasting to including giving up the consumption of meat on Friday's.

Mardi Gras was a big " party" before Lent that in recent memory has especially in New Orleans at time of debauchery.

To much  my surprise, I see two area Baptist Churches were Mardi Gras " gatherings."

Southern Baptists? Mardi Gras? Do they not know how this started historically?

Do the Baptist plan to give up something for Lent?

Or is this just another excuse for a "covered dish" gathering?

I don't know, I sorta do Lent now. But I'll still eat a steak on Friday, and due to my health, won't really fast. I do give up something I like, but as of yet, not sure what yet, it was cussin' last year and it hard.....This year just not sure.....

Ain't Your Friend

This pops up from time to time on the Facebook. And it's the damn truth.

Not everyone is your workplace is your friend. 
Do your work
Go Home
Get Paid

That is so damn true. I think I was friend was well, so few people in every place I ever worked in the school business.

Hell, I think I friends with maybe 5-6-7 people I worked with at Buna on Facebook. And these folks, well, I really liked.

Most of the people I tolerated at best.

Some, well, I hated. Literally hated, but I couldn't tell them I hated them or kill them for fear of being either fired or going to death row- So I tolerated them.

I looked at it this way, a bunch were the cheerleader/football types....still in school and well, they didn't know shit in school and in spite them having a degree in their subject or at least, a teacher's certificate, just barely knew their subject. ( That said, there are exceptions, as always)

Look, sadly, it is sometimes like high school. The band nerds, the academic nerds, well, they were their own clique. 

I hate to be mercenary, but it's all about the paycheck. 

Let's face it folks, many people you have to be nice to people at work. Or tolerate them.

But once you leave, hey, screw 'em.....And the further you get away, you wonder how you could stand to even be in the same building with them...

Do your job, get your pay, get the hell outta there...

Prepare, but Don't Panic

Get ready. The Markets are down -865 as I write this.

The Coronavirus is in Italy. Northern Italy, and everything in places like the city of Milan are shut. there is no food on the market shelves. Just like a hurricane scenario in SE Texas.

Say what you want, Italy ain't a 3rd world nation. 

Trouble is, they are not sure how long everything will be shut down.

It has spread to South Korea.

Investors are concerned about a worldwide economic slowdown. 

And China's facilities and plants are at a standstill. How stuff do we get from China to make stuff here? Just to make stuff.

And don't say, well, it needs to be made here, simply enough, we don't have enough people to make it either fast enough or quick enough to be needed here. And even so, make it here, it might make every day items increase 2000% percentage points.

You don't understand how much everyday stuff is made there, such as ingredients for prescription medications.  And then shipped here to be made.

And this is from a source, who knows, the virus is not always showing up in the tests when first run, never mind they show the symptoms.

It might not be widespread here, but you might need to get a few extra items next time you're at the store, just in case we're all quarantined.. . 

Good Grief Buna People

I had planned to write a second blog today ( after the first one got deleted )  about a totally different subject, but good grief.

I've either been on the phone in messages, emails with folks since I post the blog this morning.

I just counted. 23 people.

It's been busy. I am just now getting around to my normal daily chores. 

Many just livid with the Buna ISD.

Many, if not most upset with the education their kids are receiving, and these are not folks to get all upset about stuff.

And normally you hear people unhappy with whatever school, but not this many with Buna ISD. It seriously wonder what the world is going on?

Had 3 people ask about Homeschooling their child(ren). 

How much of this is in some classes, the only concern is " Passing the Test?"

How much of this is because they just can't get people to teach any more.

I know there are still some people who are pretty good teachers, but I wonder if they " It's just a job" are outweighing the good ones? ( It was starting to get that way as I retired. Being a teacher should be something different, sorry, but it should be.)

I don't know, I should be taking the attitude, " Not my circus, not my monkeys" but I want BISD to be a good school. And sadly, I no longer recommend it to people when they ask " Should I move my kids there?"

Man, Glad I am Out of Buna ISD

I don't miss it. Oh I miss the kids, and the actual teaching or "trying" to teach some of y'all stuff, well, I liked, but the other bullshit, well, I don't.

My Mother is a retired teacher and when she and I pass a school now with the parking lots full of cars at schools, we laugh and laugh. It's like being released from a long prison sentence.  ( We did this the other day in Bastrop as we were coming home from my brother's place in Llano.)

This story, and if it is true is just, well, makes me so glad I am out of there.

It seems that the new Supt of Schools does walk troughs at the schools........That is bad enough to have someone just stroll through your class while you are teaching "Isms" or " Supply and Demand."

But allegedly, there are 2-3 other people with him when he strolls through.

Come on, you want to distract a bunch of teenagers? That'll do it.

People just strolling around the class.

I think I'd tell them " Sit your ass down." "I'm trying to teach here."

This observation is bullshit anyway. Most principals know what their teachers are doing, especially in a small 3A school district.

Then allegedly, there was some anger when it was discovered that teachers were upset because they found the walk trough's " distracting." 

I got in trouble on a evaluation one year because it was cold and I wore a crew neck sweater and the evaluator couldn't see my tie. ( Men were required to wear ties at Dayton ISD at the time.) I had to write up a paper how I was going to " Improve my dress. " The only thing I could come up with was " Freeze " or "Wear a V-Neck or Henley Sweater." ( I think the observer was upset because I was somewhat a fop even then. Fuck 'em.)

Teaching school is a hard job. I know many of you think it is not, but you got to be " On Point" all the time to be in control. You got to be prepared. 20-25-30 teenagers all crammed in a room.

Micromanaging people, especially teachers, well, generally don't work. Buna has a hard enough time finding teachers as it is.

Makes you wonder if all these administrators are just looking for something to do? Maybe there are too many administrators?

These administrators need to remember that most of the teachers in the classroom are there for the long term. Most administrators are looking for their next job up the "pay scale." Most have resumes circulating all over the state. 25 years later we "Old hands" talk about how badly administrators sucked. And we feel sorry for the people in their "Now" school district.

But then again, I am convinced most administrators don't care about kids, if they did, they'd still be in the classroom. 

Buna ISD- ( Blog Postponed a Bit)

My blog on the Buna ISD has been postpone for a little , as new information was told to me late last evening, right as I was going to bed. I need to "follow up" on the secondary information.

That said, I have a short blog on Buna ISD on the district coming up later today. .

You Just Nasty

I am convinced we're going to have that February "Purge" on the 29th of this month in spite of me "Bragging" on y'all earlier in the month.

Some of y'all just ain't happy.

Or, so damn dumb I can't figure out how you remember to breathe. 

I've tried to weed out a lot of folks that either hate me from the time I taught them. ( Sort of surprised me who some were. They were such " suck ups" in class, who knew? I guess it should have been obvious. And upon further review, the signs were there. )

So, let's discuss "mail" I have received over the last week.

Someone was all upset because I made a reply about about a post on Facebook that talked about a " Triple penetration at a truck stop." And I made what I thought was an interesting insight on my behalf.  Nothing dirty.  But the writer took it as such.

Look, I ain't the Catholic Church, I ain't the Boy Scouts. I never diddled my kids. I tried to avoid the appearance of an interest. Tried to avoid even being seen with y'all without a door, an open space involved. Boys and girls. It was sort of why we had a " Cuss Porch." Big massive windows, so I could talk to you about whatever. Grades, behavior, some troubles you might be having. And not have some nosy Rosey listen in.

Then I had a person person write all upset that someone might have asked for a photo of me in the nude....What the ****?!?!? They seriously wondered if someone wanted to " flick their bean" or " Pull their pud" looking at my photo.

What is wrong with you people?

I send nekkid pictures and all people would think would be..." Why is Bigfoot in Mr. Thomas' House?"

That "Leap Day" Purge is looking like it will become a reality.

More Proof I Might Be Going to Hell

I don't know, my Reformed/Presbyterian friends would tend to disagree on this thought saying, that as the " Very universe was being shaped, my fate was determined. "

I however, as I have said in the past, do adhere to a couple of the TULIP theology beliefs, I often wonder if I didn't have a chance from the very start?

I have spent the last 4 days in serious shopping mode, looking for shoes to match my new Ralph Lauren suit. ( Suit fits perfectly. Need to take it to my Sri Lankan cleaner for a a good dry clean and press.)

I could just go with a pair of short-winged oxford shoes that I already had, but me, being me, keep looking for something in order to make a  bit more of a "splash."

I have even considered a pair of saddle shoes. A pair of white bucks, a pair of dirty bucks. Even perhaps a pair of Beckett Simonon's in perhaps Oxblood, or a nice tan.....Or Walnut... I'd love some Allen Edmonds, or Crockett & Jones, or Perhaps some John Lobb Phillip II's in plum or St. Crispin cap toes in burgundy , but I don't have Bryant Long's dough. Just a poor retired teacher.

Then, I saw G.H. Bass had a pair of very light grey suede shoes that looked so good, and then a pair of blue suede, but I'd have to keep Mattison Witt from coming over to step on them. And where would you wear blue men's shoes?

Yes, that sin of vanity, that perpetual fop, perpetual dandy, that Beau Brummel syndrome.

And then what tie will I wear? Bow-tie? Long tie? The color?

Trying to be the "best dressed man in the room" is often a full time job, if not according to Anglican theology my "kenodoxia"or κενοδοξία in the Koine Greek is well, my worst sin.

Oh well, I could be doing worst things.

This Blog is For Single Men

I do not think I have ever written a blog for just single men before, and I doubt I have one for them ever again.

Then again, you never know what I may write on.

This past Friday, Valentine's Day, I got two stories from people who had witnessed these events first hand at restaurants.

One in this area, the other in a major metropolitan area of this state.

In both cases, it involved the man proposing to the woman.

First case, after the proposal, she told the guy, " We'll discuss this later."

The second one is more interesting. She told the boy, " No." Then she took the ring which was held out in proposal and put it into her purse. Like it was a gift anyway.

Okay guys, let me make a couple of suggestions.

I know you think this one is " The one" after only a few months of dating. And perhaps she is, I know, my wife and I knew after only a few months, but still, we waited. For over two years before we got engaged.

And we had discussed getting married. The topic had been discussed at length. It wasn't that the proposal came out of the blue. I think it was expected earlier, and well, I waited until I completed my degree.

Guys, before you go into a public space and make the proposal a spectacle. Know what answer you are going to get. Don't embarrass the lady in a restaurant or sports venue.

And I don't know why everything has to be a "public event" now.

BTW- Here is Texas state law on engagement rings. If she breaks off the engagement, she has to give back the ring, if he ends the engagement, she keeps the ring.

Okay Boys, Line Up for You State Mandated Vascetomy.

So, there is a proposed law introduced in Alabama in which men who have certain number of kids, or are over the age of 50 would have a state mandated Vasectomy.

Oh, and the men have to pay for the vasectomy themselves.

I understand of course I understand this law was introduced (and doesn't have a chance of passing) in response to Alabama's an abortion laws being passed.

I have somewhat mixed views on abortion. I have a personal belief that tells me one thing, on the other side of the coin, your business is your business, not mine. My business is my business. ( And I certainly don't want people to go through pregnancies caused by rape or incest, etc....)

And those of you who are all pro-life, well, you are all pro-life until it becomes a pocketbook affair after the child is born and then you turn your eye to a kid who is starving, or living on the street, etc. "That is no longer my worry " in your eyes. As long as my taxes don't pay for it....Make up your mind. if you want them to have kids, even if they are poor, realize you are going to have to cough up dough for the kids....( I wish I had the money back paying for those kids in pens or paper or a couple of bucks for lunches every damn day. Some parents just would not fill out the paperwork for free lunches.)

But force guys at their own nickel to pay for vasectomies? No, violates the 4th, 5th, 8th and possibly 1st Amendments  of the Constitution.

Made me mad and I told a poster about it. I'd be just as mad if they forced women to get tubes tided.

You think that somehow doing this, it will make people change their minds? If anything, it will widen the gap.

We are to the point we have to go to the extremes in this country and are NOT winning over people over. You are speaking in an echo chamber.

The longer I read, the longer I look at what is going on in this nation, the more I am convinced we are done in the U.S. Just done. We don't want to list to what people say unless someone says something we already know " Is right."

Just done.

I am seriously glad I don't have that much more to go.

I Might Have to Reconsider this Exorcism Business

I might have to reconsider this exorcism and it makes you wonder who might be reading the blog....

These were on websites that I read today. From media sources other than those you would consider suspect.

- From ABC 27 ( Harrisburg, PA, that is the capital of Pennsylvania) " Girl crawling up wall of hospital like Spiderman." according to Exocist. 

" You sprinkle them with Holy Water and they really react."

- From the Pueblo, Colorado newspaper- " Police get a report of demonic sounds at a restaurant."

- And finally, The Atlantic, a national magazine has an article- " Why Witchcraft is on the rise." 

After this week's phone call,  it gives you pause to think...Makes you wonder how many people are sitting around chanting...

" Satan is good, Satan is your pal."

Pay Attention Folks

Don't become jaded and just assume that everything is, well, okay.

If you have not heard an additional 15,000 people in China now have the Coronavirus. That was one day worth of counting sick. 24 hours.

The Chinese have changed their counting methods to a more "honest" one. 

That's 52,000 Chinese people with the virus and 1300 dead. 60,000 worldwide.

The cruise ship that is quarantined off the coast of Japan has 700+ people with the virus. 44 new cases in the last day.

Then, there is this story, that the virus is a weaponized version of a virus that has gotten "loose" from the lab in Wuhan. I had suspected this because I had heard that the laboratories for the People's Liberation Army's  biological warfare was in Wuhan, the center of the outbreak of the virus. 

Rio is concerned about the virus spread with Carnival coming up.  

I wonder if New Orleans has done anything about Mardi Gras?  Hope alcohol and looking at breasteses kills the virus?

Keep an eye out, monitor the news, use good sense. Don't panic....

Worrying About This "Cr*p"

How much of our life have we worried about this crap.

You know, as many of you know, I grew up in pretty religious background and in high school especially, we had so much crap beat into our heads of stuff not to do. 

I mean really.

I mean, the post I put on Facebook this morning concerning dancing and Baptists, I can remember sermons, and our Sunday School teacher telling us not to dance at the prom. Was evil, wicked, whatever....But especially, lustful thought.....Heck ever teenager has so many hormones cursing through their system that dancing and changing much of anything, and besides, in those days, we generally danced about 3 feet apart anyway.  Teenage boys especially are just one big lust and they can't help it.

We danced anyway, but on Sunday when we went to church, some of those know it all's who where at the prom told on us, so we got " the look" ......

Come on, dance. Wish I wasn't so white so when I do I look like I'm having an epileptic seizure.  

Same with drinking alcohol. Beat over our heads not to drink. And what was Jesus' first miracle? Water into wine? And the Baptist leadership had the gall to tell the wine was like Welch's Grape Juice, no alcohol.

Come on, it was at a wedding. Do you really think in the First Century a bunch of Jews are serving grape juice? At a celebration?

My favorite joke of all time is as follows.

Q: When you go fishing, why do you always carry two Baptists?
A: Cause if you take only one, they will drink all the beer. 

Heck even hardheaded Paul took a nip every now and again. Read 1 Timothy 5:23...I'm not talking about getting "likkered up" every night or driving DWI....

Even Proverbs  31:6-7 says
Let beer be for those who are perishing
wine for those in anguish
Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more

It's like the Baptists being all upset about homosexuality...Never mind half the congregation is divorced. ( Look and see what Jesus says about divorce read Mark 10:1-12, show me a verse where He talks about homosexuality.)

I knew more people in the church leadership who ran off with someone other than their spouse and never did I ever hear a sermon on that. Destroyed families.  But love someone of the same sex? Well, we can't have that.

One of the biggest deacons involved in youth leadership( teen boys) left his wife, and do you think it was mentioned to us? But when it was found out two of the youth, 18, still in high school, were caught with both of their shirts off  parking in front of one's house( Weren't even smashing) do you think that was "overlooked?" Come on, it was a sermon like no other. I am convinced because youth have no money to tithe, their "sins" are worse.

And sermons on sex outside married is no longer "en vogue"

This is the same group who want to outlaw gay marriage, or gays being able to hold certain jobs, etc.....They're the ones who never would dream of putting a law on the books outlawing sex outside marriage....Probably either because they got a side chick or backdoor man....Or they are dreaming of the day they can get their Administrative Assistant into their office and bend her over the desk....

I just wonder how much of my time I have lost in my life worrying about stuff like this?

I wasn't a "bad kid" I wasn't in much trouble, well not too much.

But used to worry about this stuff, and well, I shouldn't have.

I'm sorry, you can't work your way into heaven.

Do the best you can, we're all going to mess up from time to time. I know I upset some people when I confess my sins on the blog. But you know, it is cleansing. 

You need to love on some folks. Everyone needs a hug, some sort now and again. I never was a "hug" kind of person, but life is too short.

Thus endeth the lesson-

Okay Buna....Please, No, Just No....

So, the phone rang this morning at....4AM....

" Mr. Thomas, I read that you get up to pray." " And I need some help." ( I'd been up for a while, and was in prayer to the Divine.)

Bail money was the first thing that came to mind.

No, they had read the funny I had posted about the brooms and the "witchcraft " involved in the action. And that I needed to run some sort of intervention. ( Mr. Taucer of course was quick to remind us that it actually involves the Laws of Physics)( In truth it was a coin toss on the comment, I was going to say something about the English Department, but I decided to save them for later)

It seems the person on the call thinks a family member is possessed. And 'hinted' about me somehow getting involved.

This call was from a person who "doesn't play."

I about had a heart attack.

So, we had discussion with the caller and in truth, I think the person in question needs some sort of psychological help. And told them where to  get the help.

So, people....The following.

1, Yes, I have books needed for an exorcism. But I do not plan to use them. I acquired them shortly after seminary when I was "continuing" my study. Doing an actual one is serious business. Mess up on of the words in Latin and you got trouble. Finally on this subject, I am not "Pure of Heart" in order to perform one.

2. Yes, I believe in supernatural, I still follow Pascal's Wager. Pascal of course was the seventeenth-century philosopher.... Pascal argues that a rational person should live as though God exists and seek to believe in God. If God does not actually exist, such a person will have only a finite loss (some pleasures, luxury, etc.), whereas he stands to receive infinite gains( Heaven )vs. infinite loss ( Hell). Your faith or lack of faith and what you believe is your business. Far be it for me to say anything about it, especially how I live my life. Most of the time I feel like I am just one step ahead.

3. I may have to change my phone number. Why are you people who have my phone number just giving it out to people? Just 3-4 of you get the number.

4. And unless someone has died or is about to die, don't call me a 4AM. Remember, I have a Mother who turns 90 later this year. Her health is my first concern at late calls. I know you're all upset, and certainly don't call at 4AM for something like bail, I'll tell you to just " Sit your ass."

5. I am not sure if I want comments on this. I'll have people mad, or be smart asses and the person who called, well, it was a serious call.

I told Shelby Church on Facebook the other day, my life goes from being "Dull as Ditchwater" to just "out of control" and it was a bit early to be "Out of control" this morning.

I got to be careful what I post.

Old Guy Moment #344 And I D#mn Near Died.

Again, stuff occurs we , well, I , don't understand. And I don't know.

It is your world, but I don't understand why people are wanting to know, the sex of their child while it's still floating around in the womb.

Oh, I know some of it is for "Shower" reasons, get those "pink" or " blue" gifts to correlate with the sex of the baby....

And these reveal parties? Come on man, you want to have a party, have a party. You want to tell everyone, send a group text. These parties are everyone is trying to "outdo" everyone else and well, someone is going to be killed in an explosion of either pink or blue at some point. 

We could have known, even in the stone age of medicine Reid's sex before he was born, but we chose not to, I think the entire radiation department at Medical Plaza Hospital, Fort Worth,  where Deb worked knew before we did. How someone did not "spill the beans" is one of those great mysteries?

We had two names picked out.

Of course, Ryan Reid.( We've never used the Ryan, he always goes by R. Reid on everything official, his choice)

And girl's name?

Margeaux Elizabeth

A little mystery in life things so much more interesting. 

So, there has been some question of my blood type for quite a while.

For years, I thought I was A+ until one of my dad's hospital stays had his blood test come back as A- and I had St. E re-test and sure enough negative factor. ( Mom is A+) ( Dad's US Army dog tag said A pos.  )

So, I bought one of those kits from Amazon and received it yesterday in the US Mail.

Knowing how I am about my blood.  I sat on the floor to do the test.  You can bleed to death, I can butcher a critter and not flinch, but me bleed, not good. Little known fact, I so wanted to become a butcher for a while in high school, I had talked a guy into hiring me at a shop, but Nooooo, I had to go to college...In retrospect, it turned out pretty good...

Well, I got so sick to my stomach in the process I buggered up the test. Don't know how I did it from a finger stick, had blood all over me, all over the floor. And I had to clean up that mess.

And because I know, well, me, I got a 2 kit order because, well, I just know me....

It's why I am a history major, not a nurse.

Monday....I'd Feel Sorry for You....But

Yeah, I remember Mondays, but well, I don't feel sorry for you, I did " My time" and as I have said for years, it was like being released from a long prison term from Huntsville when I " slipped" out of 2011 graduation and came on home. I danced going down the hallway towards my vehicle.

-Well, this isn't good. had a guy I know for years find the old blog, and well, wasn't happy. Trouble is he's a Baptist minister now and I am sure at some point he'll get a sermon out of it....I sent him a message back of a sort of modified "Rachel Rule." Except not so nice. ( Need to write a blog on the Rachel Rule. Remind new folks what is going on)

I ain't afraid of no "She-Bears"( There's an obscure reference.) ( This could be an entirely different blog. Get into some really big trouble. )

-900 dead in China as of this morning. 60 people on the cruise ship off Japan have Coronavirus.

We bought a massive amount of masks and through our " intermediary"  sent them to China.

Pay attention to what happens to China this week. They all go back to work this week after being off for 10 days in a Chinese self-quarantine. Don't think it can't wind up here in a limited form. Keep your resistance up folks.

-Talk about world changing. Had a discussion with a Buna alumni female student about birth control. Talk about a taboo subject just a couple of years ago...Heck, it wasn't that long ago that Lysol was used as birth control, and marketed as such....

- Wet week, still working on a blog concerning the Buna Schools. As always, blogs may be written and "published" in a spur of the moment. 

I'm Minding My Own "Bidness"

You know, I have been trying to be good, I have not cussed "really badly" in a blog in a while.

I get up at about 4am and still pray, and I have a pretty good list of people I try and talk to the Divine about( You want your named added, send me a PM) and my list as of this morning is about 68.

So, I finish my prayers and I pretty much go into "old" Kerry mode.

I got nothing to do, check my news sites, nothing really, just a re-hash of the same old same......and in my mailbox I get an email from a men's clothing company and their sale.

And I get to thinking, " I got NOTHING to wear to Reid's graduation from UT."  ( Gotta out fop everyone there.)

I got clothes I ain't worn yet in my closet......Come on Kerry Don.

But like a moth to a flame I go to all the clothing sites.

And I come across a Ralph Lauren, sand-tan suit in a Prince of Wales pattern......Come on Baby....

On sale....

Get thee behind me Satan.

I'm worse than any women I know about, " I got nothing to wear."

I seriously have a couple of people write me about my love of clothes and wonder if I was gay?

Of all my sins, this vanity is going to get me sent to hell quicker than anything.....

Friday! And Clarifications, Stories, Statistics Etc, Etc....

This day used to mean a great deal to me a few years ago, now it means, well, nothing. Just another day.

Retirement....I am like Stanley from The Office. "I've been waiting for this since I was 16."( Y'all don't understand how great it is....)

Some of you think I am about to leave, move from the Compound like tomorrow morning. And us go to Scotland, Canada, whatever. This was me thinking out loud.

I had PMs of people all upset like we had a U-Haul in the yard and was about to have a massive garage sale and are about to be gone, like yesterday. 

That said, we are looking. Always.

I am saying this because I have had offers on the " Bear Gun" ( Ruger .454 Casull revolver) and the Toaster.

I love the Toaster, but for the right price, I'll sell it, likewise the "Bear Gun."  Or anything else....I think if the price was right my wife would probably "let me go."

In that same light, some of you....... Some of you well, " You just ain't right."

I had someone who ask me " With all your extra time, why don't you find something on the side?"

Why? So two women will be disappointed? ( One woman man.....always have been.)

Finally, I see on the Facebook someone posting an article with a place selling Crystal Dildos, to make your vagina magical.....Ladies, don't you know already most guys think it is magical already?

Y'all have a good weekend. Supposed to cloud up and start trying to rain the next 6-7 days, so enjoy today's sun.

Okay, This is Serious...Remember This Date...

My wife was dead on correct this morning. ( She often is, but I won't fess up that she is...)

So, this morning, we were concerned about someone we know teaching. Just worried about how they would hold up in the classroom...

To which I added to the conversation, "But you know, I couldn't have seen myself doing anything else...."

And my wife answered right back..." It's because you're nuts."

She's absolutely right....

Be Afraid People...Very Afraid

I have put this blog off as long as I could. And I dread writing this now.

Could not bring myself to watch the State of the Union Address live. I watched it late Wednesday afternoon, and even then, I just forced myself. The father I get away from teaching government, well, watching and paying attention to what is going on in Washington D.C. and to a lesser extent Austin because, well, it's sort of like work....Seriously.....I do listen to the news. I do read a few papers online in the morning, but an all day event like it was back in the 90s, early 2000s, well, that's a thing of the past. I had rather read about  something that happened 300-400 years ago. ( Got to remember, History major, Government/Economics/Speech triple minor.....1. Didn't know I had a speech minor?  Easy class.....And does anyone except Harvard and UT-Austin still call it "Government?")

So, I watched the speech.....( And I know Rush is sick...But the Presidential Medal of  Freedom? Read Mitch Keeler's blog on the topic.)

All I could think of was petulant children....Both parties.....

It so put me back to an event in antebellum America in which Sen. Charles Sumner made a speech attacking Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina for supporting slavery.

Butler's cousin, a member of the US House by the name of Preston Brooks walked over to the Senate chamber with another member of the US House by the name of Laurence Keitt and proceeded to beat Sumner with a gold-handled walking cane....When other senators tried to stop the attack, Keitt produced a pistol and stopped them from doing so. ( Keitt 2 years later tried to choke another representative)

Sumner wound up with what we would call PTSD today for the remainder of his life. 

Butler was kicked out of the US House, and was tried and convicted of assault, and fined $300 ( $8000 of today's money)

Re-elected the next term, Butler died of a painful lung illness before he re-took his seat. ( Karma man, karma)

The US Congress is close to fisticuffs. Especially the knotheads in the US House.

If that happens, how close are we to shooting each other?

I seriously have looked at liquidating everything, converting everything to CHF ( Swiss Francs) and getting the hell "Outta Dodge."

But where would I go? Britain would be my first choice, but they got as big a mess as we got, if not bigger. Ireland might be a choice, but the Cost of Living has jumped up considerably there. Australia and New Zealand's immigration status is "Out of the question." Canada? Portugal? Uruguay? Convert to Judaism and move to Israel? ( That's a big no there for several reasons including I hate the desert....and that whole mohel, well, let's just say I need all I got now.... ) 

I'm serious here.

A Civil War will destroy this country. The economy will fall to pieces. You'll be afraid to go to work, much less send your kids to school.

And don't think it can't happen here...

Had to Write a Blog to Educate Tara

Yeah, you know which Tara. Any other one, yeah, I love you too, but well, I've not been to your house. Or married your kid....

And then, there is that whole Current Issues and Events team, better known as "Current Events" dealie.

You be on my Current Events team and then win a medal, well, there will always be a special place in my heart for you there.

So, it sadden me yesterday when Tara mentioned she was now drinking Jameson Irish whisky with a pickle juice back. ( What kind of an abomination is that anyway?)

And she did not understand the meaning behind me asking her on Facebook, " You convert to Catholicism?"

It sort of made me sad....But then, most people didn't read about 15,000 pages of Irish history before they went to Ireland. ( When I was in in grad school Old Dr. Mackey would always say, to start to understand anyone's history, you need to read about 10,000 to 25,000 pages of a nation's history of various sources.)

In Ireland, old wounds still run deep, they even go into the whisky you drink.

Jameson, made in Dublin the Republic of Ireland, is drunk by Catholics. And the Irish Republican Army( IRA)

Bushmill, made in Bushmill, Northern Ireland, UK, is drunk by Protestants.( And Ulster Unionists)

This even carries over to the USA, especially in Boston and to a lesser extent, New York City. Still Irish ex-pats in those cities with IRA, Irish ties, they all drink Jameson.....and in America, Jameson will out-sell Bushmill's 9 to 1 on St. Patrick's Day.  

Heck, when went to Northern Ireland, we visited the Bushmill Distillery....and when we went to Dublin we did not go to the Jameson Distillery.

Nothing to do with the fact I am ordained a minister in one of the Protestant denominations that if you looked at their "roots" one of which would branch into Northern Ireland.

It was all economics.

Bushmill charged both of us, 10 Quid ( £10)for a tour. Jameson wanted 80 Euros for a tour of their plant. ( And Bushmill gave us free samples to taste, and a bunch of different mini-bottles to take home....Something to say about 'free'.)

And besides, I prefer the taste of Bushmill. Nothing to do with Catholic vs. Presbyterianism...

All this said, it's time to reunite Ireland into one nation. It's time, been time.The border no longer exists.   When we drove into Northern Ireland, we did not know until the speed signs changed to Miles Per Hour we were in Northern Ireland...about 20 minutes past the border. 

( Of course, I am teasing Tara.)

Perhaps My Saddest Blog

Perhaps my saddest blog. I took this photo last evening....

A Dead Soldier. He gave his life in service of the Compound.

Just Wait a Minute...It'll Get You Too

Not playing here, it will happen to you too, and it will happen fast. Faster than you know.

Some of you are bitching about " the old people" and their attitude towards stuff.

Just wait. It will happen so fast you'll get up one morning and say, " What the hell happened???"

What happened to that kid with shoulder length hair, in a '67 blue Mustang riding down the road listening to a mix of Led Zep, Black Sabbath, Jerry Jeff, Willie Nelson, and Renaissance/Baroque  music all on 8-track???? ( Claudio Monteverdi and William Byrd rock man, with Byrd, I'm ever the British leaning historian)

I've been married 39 years this year. I graduated high school 45 years ago, college 40 years ago. This August, I'll start my 10th year retired.

That pain you have at 30-40, well it triples at age 60.

And the world you thought you understand , well, you won't.

I think I am doing pretty good.

I've been more open, more inclusive to a lot of views I had when I was in high school, hell college, hell seminary. ( Seminary will mess a person up...Badly.)

Look, I am open about people in the LGBT community. You got to make yourself happy. You can't help who you are sexually attracted to. I am convinced people are born this way and there is no magical prayer or potion to change people. Let them be happy.

Hell, I'm for the legalization of most narcotics, especially marijuana. We've fought the "War on Drugs" since Nixon and it's time to try something else.

Never in a million zillion years would I dream I would have a Chinese daughter in law, we always thought it'd be a Charlie Brown syndrome. ( A little red headed girl, it's all he dated in high school and college)...and it's just part of the change of America. My grandkids will speak Mandarin Chinese. And we love her.

And I am surprised at the love... And the just unadulterated hate I receive on my daughter in law. ( Some of you have  a poison in your system. )

But you better be careful making fun of old people, as my dad said, " Keep saying Good-morning, and you'll be there plenty quick enough."

Quicker than you ever dreamed.  And there will be a lot of stuff you don't understand.

Super Bowl Halftime

Okay, you knew it was going to be that way. You just knew. They have to keep themselves relevant.
People are talking about the halftime show this morning at the water coolers, in the faculty lounges, out at the refineries.....etc....

And it doesn't effect me that much. My only child is 31. I have no grandkids yet.  ( But I wouldn't want my grandkids watching if I had some)

JLo does a sexual performance at the Super Bowl.

Grabs her crotch. Spreads her legs for the camera.(A 2 inches cloth strip kept us from seeing " everything") Gets on a stripper pole.

Does a mock "Crucifixion." ( Don't tell me that wasn't anything else.....as soon as I saw it, I went " WOW!" Sort of shocked me and I am somewhat jaded.)

It makes you wonder what the NFL is thinking? Or Pepsi who "sponsored" the halftime.

Come on, you want to see that stuff, there are places to see that stuff. Heck, you can find it on the internet.

Not on one of the biggest national televised shows.

PANIC!

So, someone smart aleck decided that I was some sort of expert on the Chinese medical policy and has decided to ask me to write on the Coronavirus.

Hell, just because I've been to China and have a Chinese daughter in law doesn't really make me an expert.

Let me remind you that you're in North America. The epidemic is in Asia.

I know we are now a global society and that stuff travels quicker than it did in 1918 when the Spanish Flu killed all sort of people all over the world including my great-great-grandmother, great-grandfather, great aunt in a period of 24 hours.

This is 100 years later. Medical science has advanced greatly. Even the Chinese are using Western medicine, not Chinese medicine to battle the virus. Heck, they built a hospital in 10 days for the virus in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus.

The Chinese are quarantined all over the nation until Feb. 10th.  No one goes to work. Restaurants are closed. ( And trust me restaurants over there are sort of like playing Russian Roulette....Keep a stock of Imodium.)

1.4 billion people on quarantine.  Being enforced by the military.

It is having some effect here in the U.S. I noticed that the N95 masks have quadrupled in price on eBay. They are even being advertised as " Anti-Coronavirus"...)

Look, medical science  in this country is the best in the world. There are people working 24 hours a day.

Don't panic. I don't think we have anything to be worried about. ( I could be wrong, you never know.)

A lot of this is the media.

That said, keep your eye on what is going on.

Next blog----Super Bowl Halftime Show-----

Yes, of Course Bunaite.

Never sure what the correct term was for someone from Buna. I am sure, it is from the Latin, but whatever I use, it just doesn't sound quite correct, so I use Bunaite. ( I wind up adding an additional "N" in the pronunciation.)

So, grandma and I went out, to Llano, to see my brother in Llano, and my nephews, I had not given them their Christmas present yet, and of course what do you give teenagers? Cash, American money...

And we retrieved grandma's camper.  She could stay with my brother, but prefers when she is staying a month plus to have her own place. ( Remind me, I get to talking about buying a trailer/RV of this next statement....4 and 5 star hotels are soooooo nice just check out and leave...)

So, on the trail to Llano, we stop at the Buccees on the road. Clean bathrooms. Cheap fountain drinks, plenty of room to fill-up the diesel 3/4 ton truck of grandma's.

And at everyone, (except Katy) I ran into someone from Buna. I either "knew" or had taught.

And at everyone of the stops in which I met my former students, the student question would ask, " Would you like to meet my wife/husband?"

Why yes, I would.

Why wouldn't I?

Heck, if you got kids, I'd like to meet them too.

At one Bucees, the "boy" is questions wife was unbelievably cute. ( Hey baby, how you doing?" )

But in all seriousness. YES! I want to meet your family.