We're Done, Just Done

 I watched what I could of the debate from last night. 

It was pretty much indicative of America today. Just yelling at each other and no one listening. 

We are so divided I don't see us getting back together. I really don't. And if your side wins, 50% of America isn't happy. 

We just hate each other so much I see no hope. And neither side wants to listen to the other. 

I think the thing that upset me was the non-condemnation of the KKK-like organizations in this country. Sorry, but I at some point will have Chinese grandchildren. And I don't want them to face an addition hatred just because they will not be " lily white." I'm sorry condemning the Klan and Klan like organizations is a " no brainer."

I was UIL Academic Director and part of academic teams include C/X and L-D Debate. I have even judged L-D Debates. Last night, the debate looked nothing like any standard debate. It looked like the Simpsons episode in which Grandpa Abe Simpson debated Grandpa Abe Simpson. And the caption was " Two Old Guys yell at Each other." 

This is not going to end well. 

I am telling you, we might be on that downward spiral we can't come back from. 

I am thinking it might be someone else's turn to lead and that might turn out to be China.  

I am sorry we're in trouble. And America doesn't mean the same thing to all Americans. Sorry, it just doesn't. And I really don't know what is going to become of us. 

Sorry, but if something doesn't change the US is no longer going to stand.....I don't know, as I have said, perhaps our time is over.

I Just Give Up

 On rare occasions I now watch or listen to NFL, MLB games.

And basketball? I can't remember the last basketball game I watched. Maybe a high school game? 

For years I was a Dallas Cowboy fan.....But why should I continue? They've been a source of disappointment for 25 years....And the Houston Texans? I am like the legion of people who are hoping they lose all 16 games this year so they'll get rid of the coach. After he got rid of his perhaps the Texans best player, the quarterback now has no one to throw or give the ball to. 

Lets face it, other than Houston and the counties surrounding Houston, no one really cares what the Texans do. To build a fan base, they will have to have a run like the old Houston Oilers back in the 1970s and 1980s, back in the old " Bum" Phillips and Luv ya Blue days. Before the owner moved the Oilers to Nashville. 

I don't know. I might watch a few minutes, but in all honesty, I got better things to do. 

I do watch English Football now sometimes( Soccer) but even there, you know the teams you try and follow are not worth a damn. 

Don't know, may need to start taking naps on Sunday afternoons. At least I would be doing something constructive.

And Back....

 So, made a trip to Llano to my brother's this weekend to celebrate my Mom's 90th birthday. All relations, living and dead were there, or should have been. 

Yes, it was painful on the back. 

Yes, I drove a little, but mostly, Deb drove, as I was under the influence of a number of pills and potions to kill or mask the back pain. 

Yes, we hit Buc-ees...And I blame Jaime Scott-Moore for this one, I got a Black Cherry soda fountain drink with real cane sugar at most of the stops.( You've got to try the Buc-ee fountain drinks with real sugar) Also, a couple of times, the pecan kolache.....or sausage kolache, sometimes both... 

So, I have got to hand it to our local weather people, well, 3 of the local weather people. They actually are better than Austin's weather people. Austin's people care more about "looking good" than tell us the weather. 

Now news, that is another story. 

I know the rumor is Greg Kerr is no longer with Channel 6, and not sure why he resigned all of a sudden, but out local news is awful, just awful. It is like they don't want to tell any local news for fear of offending people.  Our local news is pretty much, killings, wrecks, bad traffic, link sales, and then they rehash the national news which was just on 10 minutes ago from ABC, CBS, etc. 

Heck, the news in Tyler is better than the mess coming out of Beaumont. 

And for the longest KFDM didn't even have sports. 

Was glad to see my nephews involved in everything, as they are in a 3A school district. Band, athletics, academics. You know, in a 5A and 6A school you just can't do everything like you can in smaller districts. You Buna people know that. 

And of course, being in Llano, we got to eat a lot of smoked meats. Try Inman's BBQ when you are in Llano.  And be sure and get the jalapeño sausages.

So, I was asked by a couple of people where I was, and here is the answer. 

In Trouble for that PDA

 So, I see where actress Candace Cameron is all in trouble because she has published a photo of her husband putting his hand on her breasteses. 

She is catching it from the religious community( She is an evangelical Christian) and people outside the community for showing too much PDA.

Now, I would never publish a photo of me putting my hand on any of my wife's " private" parts, but that doesn't mean I've never put my hands "there" even when I was not even planning on romance. Heck, wouldn't put it "there" in public.

I think most husbands have, still do. 

Sometimes things are " Much to do about nothing." 

In this day of 500 TV channels and the internet, people have seen much worse.  

That said, a lot of people are just looking for stuff to get upset about. 

I remember when I was a Dayton High School getting called into the principal's office after prom. Four male teachers.

It seems 3 of the school board members were all upset because we had committed the "sin" of putting our arms around our wives' waists or around the waist and then put our  hands on our wives' hips.....Then, we slow danced with our wives.  ( We were not grinding or dry humping or anything like that.)

One member said, " What will the kids think?" " That their teachers might do what all the juniors and seniors were wanting to do that night?" 

All I could think was, " Does this board member know how many prom dresses will wind up around the girl's neck that night?" " And how many pairs of panties won't be found in the car until the next morning?" 

I am telling you we just " don't get it" sometimes. According to the Jewish Talmud, the holiest of holies in the Bible is the Song of Solomon. A long erotic poem written about a wife. (Yaddayim  3:5) 

People need to enjoy life.

 

Get Ready

 So, there is one more name for the 2020 hurricane season to be used. 

There are 3 systems as I write this getting ready to explode....Including one in the far South Gulf of Mexico they expect to move North. 

So, what will the National Weather Service use? 

Greek letters. It's been 15 years since they've been used.

If you have been in Hellenistic society ( Fraternities. Sororities)in college you should know them. In the old hazing days, you had to say the 24 Greek letters while holding a burning paper match.....Before the flame burned you. I'll tell you about tying a string around an oyster one day. 

Or gone to seminary, ( New Testament  was written in Greek)

Here they are

Α	α	alpha
Β	β	beta
Γ	γ	gamma
Δ	δ	delta
Ε	ε	epsilon
Ζ	ζ	zêta
Η	η	êta
Θ	θ	thêta
Ι	ι	iota
Κ	κ	kappa
Λ	λ	lambda
Μ	μ	mu
Ν	ν	nu
Ξ	ξ	xi
Ο	ο	omikron
Π	π	pi
Ρ	ρ	rho
Σ	σ, ς	sigma
Τ	τ	tau
Υ	υ	upsilon
Φ	φ	phi
Χ	χ	chi
Ψ	ψ	psi
Ω	ω	omega

Not Ending Well?

 I have been avoiding the 800 lb gorilla in the room for quite a while. 

I am seriously worried about this country. 

I no longer even watch the news. I certainly can't stand to watch the politics. It's too much like working.

I rarely look at Facebook anymore. Someone today said that only Trump voters have US Flags up. ( I know Biden people with US Flags in their yards. You don't have a monopoly on patriotism. I know you think you do, you don't......And remember what Samuel Johnson said at patriotism.) 

I am thinking there is going to be civil unrest no matter who wins the election.

I am sure that it'll be days if not weeks before we learn who was elected. 

I think the racial diversity in this country will finally tear us apart. 

I am afraid if it gets bad my "children" will return to China. ( Urban China, you may as well be in Houston or Dallas.)

I am amazed at people I know, who I thought were Christian really hate Blacks, Browns, Asians, Whites etc. Maybe you aren't Christian after-all? 

I will probably have surgery between now and the election.( Probably Oct) I've already asked for a mail-in-ballot. I don't see me being able to go to the polls.

I think there is a very good chance I will put a huge "X" on my ballot and mail it back with the words across the page....NONE OF THEM. 

I don't know, perhaps our time as the "predominate" nation is coming to a rapid end?  It happens to them all. Don't think you are someone special because you are in America at this time....Remember what Isaiah 40 says- " All the nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity."

 

 

Mr. Thomas Winds up in Hell?

 So this morning I decided I better check and see if I was still licensed/ ordained as a minister. 

Seriously.

 In many denominations, you are ordained/ licensed/, you are good, for life, sort of like the old school teacher's certificate in Texas.  ( I have an old school teacher's cert. in history and composite social studies. I am a certified Texas teacher "FOREVER")

But, I am in a couple of different denominations that require work to keep up with their ordination unlike the Southern Baptists. 

So, I checked.....

I am " Good to go."

Seminary attendance/alumni-ship  has its privileges. 

 Seriously. 

I am ordained and licensed in the State of Texas.  

I only need one or the other. 

In both I am in good standing. 

I have a wedding in  COUPLE 3 WEEK WEEKS I AM ANXIOUS TO PERFORM.  Very anxious. A couple I am quite fond of.....Win district in UIL Current Events for me, and I will love you forever. 

Forever. 

It was that important to me.

Got to remember I was UIL Academic Director at Buna for many years.

Believe it or not I can discuss Reform theology " at length " with you. I went to St. Giles in Edinburgh , Scotland just to see John Knox's grave. The founder of Scottish Calvinism. Even though I have a problem with Calvinism. ( Four of the 5 Tulip points, I still believe in " once saved, always saved." The elect, well,why try? Seriously? Go to ANY seminary you'll understand the 5 points or Tulip)

I worry however.....Was I actually supposed to be in Buna all those years?

I have a new suit for the wedding and will look like I am a Tory member of the English Parliament circa, 1939. May as well be the Minister for Scotland. 

Hell, even have a Churchillian tie for that period. 

Pocket watch chain and all. Silver like Churchill. I even have a tartan tie that represents that I am a " minister."( Those darn Scots have ties that represent some strange stuff)

Then again, I have the Geneva robe and stole and can look like a high-church member of the Church of Scotland...Did God intend me to spend most of my working career in Buna HS at the high school? 

Or was I supposed to do something in the ministerial area instead?  

Maybe I was never predestined? Or foreordained? 

Just things the ole " Govteach" thinks about at night.

 

 

 

 

Update

 I know I have not written in several days. 

Yes, I am still alive. No, I am not well.

We wound up in the Baptist ER on Sunday morning and had all sorts of tests run. I felt like I was in the old Arlo Guthrie song, " Alice's Restaurant." I was injected, inspected, neglected, dejected." 

We got a copy of the MRI report this morning..... as my wife said, " It was horrible." 

We are looking at going to Houston here in the next few days. I am looking at getting the mess fused. No sense in crawling around on the floor like a baby. 

So, as I asked earlier, remember me in your thoughts/prayers.

Selfish Blog

 A Selfish blog this morning.

I am having some severe back troubles and have had them over the last several days. They started at the Farm.

It started when I turned on the water at the Farm and my back was so bad I could not get back up off the ground. My right leg is showing weakness, and I had to crawl to the mailbox in order to get up off the ground. 

It has been that way ever since. 

I had a hard time driving home, as I had a hard time moving my right leg/foot from the gas to the brake pedal, I even had my 90 year old Mom do a good bit of driving, and to be honest, Grandma drives very well still. And I would ride with her anyplace.

My right leg " gave out" walking in the hallway in the back of the house, I hit the floor so hard I was afraid I had broken either my shoulder or my neck. Both are super sore this morning. 

I know it is a disc or a degenerative spine, or something in my lumbar spinal area. And if it continues, I will need to see a neurologist or an orthopedist. I want to avoid surgery if at all possible. I was worse after my other 2 back surgeries. I may just need to learn to walk with a cane. 

I had planned to write 2 blogs today, but to be honest, I just not up to writing on either. 

So, if you would, remember the old "Gubmint" Teacher today.

You Know, May as Well Step on Some Toes

 So, I have seen this meme 3 times now in which it shows a man with a " Dad body" having sex in the "missionary position" with a women. The man is laying flat on top of the women, pretty much squashing her in the act. 

It is basically an excuse why women do not like dad bods. 

Well, if you were a guy, dad body or not, in that position, you shouldn't be laying on top of your woman like a dead flounder, pretty much using her a a glorified masturbation tool. 

If a guy dad bod or not cared, he would not be laying on her, but instead should be holding himself above her so he can look her in the eye, and being able to kiss her during the act. Don't act like we are all the same.

And why is that one position pointed out? Did the Kama Sutra has 64 position, 7 of which you should know. ( Don't ask.....And don't say the Kama Sutra is evil because it comes from Buddhism) 

Look, if you don't want to date a fat guy just admit it. If you like fat guys admit it. No one is putting a gun to your head and saying you got to screw a fat guy.

There are a number of ladies who gain a few pounds after children, age, whatever and they still like to ride like a cowgirl. 

And most guys with the lady generally will say this....

Giddy-Up.....

Another Damn Hurricane

 Another Damn Hurricane-

Just enough.......Enough....

But first, I want to than the people who called, sent tests, emails etc to check on us. We bailed and went to the Farm in NE Texas between Mt Vernon and Winnsboro.  Didn't even hardly rain. And the local news/weather out of Tyler expect the storm to impact the area, but everything was to our east. 

It made us feel good with all the people checking on out safety.  

We decided to go the Farm because my Mom turns 90 next month and well, she didn't need to go through another storm. And Grandma made homemade biscuits every morning. Mom is well educated with a Master's degree plus, but she loves to cook, and you want to make me happy, fix your oldest son biscuits, lil' smokie sausages, or pan sausage, and a couple of easy over eggs and he's happy, happy. ( Many of you know I love lil' smokies, it's why they often appeared at the BHS prom. )

How does Tyler have 3 TV stations, legit news stations and we have 2? Oh, we have news on 4, but in reality it is CBS doing the same news on Fox and ABC doing the same news on NBC. Heck, I even was in speech classes at Lamar with the lead news anchor on Tyler NBC, he's been the anchor there for years. And they had actual news and weather on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Our local news is just telling about local link and cookie sales. maybe a wreck, then the rest is just news they have taken from the national news feeds....

I know we live on the Gulf Coast, but we have seen more than enough of our share of storms in recent years. 

We even took this in consideration. If there was enough damage to the house, just make a settlement with the insurance company and start over.  Don't even try to rebuild. We decided we'd just rent a townhouse/condo and follow the kids wherever they move to....And if it's China, well, we have those "Family" Chinese Visas. We will move there. We all have had enough of hurricanes, 50 inches of rain tropical storms. There is something going on. There were storms in our past I remember, but not this strong and not this often and not as 'odd' as we've had recently. 2 tropical storms in 3 years? One dumping 54 inches of rain, the other 40 inches of rain?

But, we had minor damage. Everything is fixable. We only had one tree that broke/twisted in half in the dog yard and will worry about that later. It is out of the way. A couple of other things that need to be fixed. 

I don't know, at some point we will want to sell and move. I wonder if we'll have to finance the house ourselves? It is no longer "fun" here. I wonder if this last hurricane if Chevron will decide not to put the new proposed plant in Orange? 

That said, we need to remember the people in Orange/Little Cypress in our prayers. That area was hit hard....And especially remember in our prayers the people in Lake Charles. It is a mess over there. I was hearing 60 days before lights.   

That said, if Deb was just a little closer to retiring, we would be leaving. Enough is enough....