Christmas, stuff and being 60.

Just a little out of step. I look back on life and it seems like I have always been just a little out of step. Out of time, out of place. Just couldn’t quite be satisfied with easy answers  even if they came from preachers or peoples interpretation of ancient scriptures or even the great god SCIENCE that is just a series of methods and not an entity unto itself.

 

Born in the mud,
Raised in the wild
Washed in the blood,
God's Problem Child

I feel the shine, following me
Not far behind, that's where I wanna be
A little out of town, fine by me…God’s Problem Child, Willie Nelson.

 

I learned to accept that I wasn’t really in sync with my tribe and even to embrace it. Don’t give me no “think out of the box” if that just means you want me to trade my box for yours.

Christmas is kind of like that for me. I see the ads and hear the carols and even know the Reason for the Season. But, it’s all just a little off or maybe I am. I miss those that are no longer here and I miss a simpler time even if most of it is just in my own perception and really wasn’t all that simple at the time.

My 15 year old son is more than likely the most intelligent of our little family. Cindy might disagree but I’m telling you I wasn’t as confident in my own ability to think for myself at 25 as he is at 15. But, he’s not traditional. Some of that might be because I was older when he came in to this world. But, he’s not the sports fan that I am and he isn’t interested at all in religion or being told how to think or believe. I’m proud, awed and afraid for him at the same time.

This world doesn’t like those that don’t conform. That don’t blindly believe or accept someone else’s experience as their own gospel. Still, there are those who manage. Right Willie?

Darkness may fall
We still got a light
Keeping us all
Safe through the night

Heaven must love
God's problem child…Willie Nelson

I see lot’s of statements on facebook these days. People who are so confident of their religion, politics and they love to state things and talk about how brave they are for being a Christian, Liberal,Conservative,Atheist or whatever. But, ya know what? Being in a Christian church and saying Jesus is Lord isn’t brave. Being in a Richard Dawkins group and saying there isn’t any reason other than chance for the universe isn’t brave. Being in a group of conservatives and saying conservatives are right and libs are tards isn’t brave or decent. Being in a Liberal group and saying all conservatives are red neck inbreds isn’t brave or decent.

But, stepping out of the group think and demanding accountability is considered cowardly? Rush Limbaugh says it is. He hates moderates. But, then again Rush has been known to make fun of a lady who died a painful death from cancer. I know this because I remember it from back in the 90’s when I was also a Ditto Head. That was the name us Rush lovers called ourselves back then. Yep, little ole liberal me was once so far right that Roy Moore would have loaned me his horse and pop gun.

Ya know the best thing about turning 60? The absolute most astounding thing? I don’t have to worry about silly stuff like trying to strut around women as if I’m a teenager. I can tell a woman she’s pretty or a great friend and it doesn’t mean that I’m trying to make a move on her or cheat on my wife. I don’t have to try and pretend to be anything I’m not. Actually, I never did but it took getting older to realize it. I finally realize that most of the time the people I worried so much about and tried to impress were not actually thinking of me that much anyway. So, there was really no reason for me to sweat about their opinion. They had their own stuff to deal with.

So, yeah for me this year Christmas is going to be chill. I am going to eat a Christmas lunch with Cindy and Fox and then call my mom in Gadsden and check in by phone with my dad in Birmingham and just relax. I’m not going to “try and get in the Christmas spirit” because that’s just too much work and trouble. Goodness, people run themselves ragged trying to show how happy they are this time of year.

So, Merry Christmas and I hope for peace on earth and good will towards men and women but I ain’t going  to strain myself with worry or showing how Christmasy I am either. Peace.

 

Heaven must love
God's problem child
Heaven must love
God's problem child
Heaven must love
God's problem child

Politics, Trump and my opinion.

I understand how a person can get to the point of trying to stay honest to their convictions while also trying to do their job or uphold their integrity. I know in my job as a social worker it’s often a tight rope between the requirements of my job and the conviction of my heart. To speak up when an agency or a supervisor is looking for a one size fits all answer and I know from life and experience that one size rarely fits all. I have seen otherwise intelligent people bend over backwards to pretend the emperor has clothes when it’s obvious that the emperor has no clothes. I’m  sorry folks but a 2^nd grader could listen to Donald Trump talk for five minutes and figure out the dude is one brick shy of a load. 

 Can you imagine if Barrack Obama had  put a veterans Purple Heart in his pocket and smirked at the camera and said “I’ve always wanted one of these?” Can you imagine if Barrack Obama had  said “It’s smart not to pay your taxes?” Be honest now. Can you imagine if Barrack Obama had said “I like people that don’t get caught” in referring to former POW”s? Can you imagine if Barrack Obama had said “Grab them by the p…y? Now, you can say that was a long time ago. But, I saw numerous times a certain picture posted by conservatives of Obama from his late teens or early twenties smoking pot and a snide remark by the poster. No guys. You come off as hypocrites. Sorry, it’s just true. But, as for abortion? that seems to be the only  reason some of you vote straight republican. Let me say this. I hate abortion. I truly believe the pro choice movement needs to stop acting like abortion is a holy right of womanhood. It’s not. But, it is a woman’s body and choice at least in the very early stages or in case of rape or forced sex or an absent daddy unless you are willing to help her out.  I guess I’m reluctantly pro choice. But, the so called pro life movement is so quick to condemn the poor for not working and momma’s for having babies that they turn a blind eye to cuts in Medicaid and deny birth control. Call decent human feelings and needs like clean water and health care a privilege instead of something that should be provided for everyone.   You can’t just be pro birth. Well, you can be but then you are not pro life.  Pro Life is trying to take care of life If that’s too hard and expensive for you then shut the hell up and mind your own business. Also, no it's not the church's place. We have separation of church and state for a reason in this nation. Also, it's fine if local church's want to help out. God Bless them because as a social worker I can tell you they do the Lord's work often. But, I'd hate to think a church had to provide health care. They would go broke the first day.

One thing I’ve never understood about conservatives is this stuff about the government doesn’t owe you anything. Then why do we have a government at all? How can you tell a momma you are sending her son’s and now including daughters off to war but you don’t owe her anything? How can you demand taxes and allegiance (unless you’re Donald Trump) and then tell somebody that you don’t owe them anything? How can you say build walls and borders but you don’t owe them anything? You’re full of shit is what you are.

Now, I’ve been guilty of playing the Jesus card myself. It doesn’t work because religious people pick and choose the words they want to hear and call everything else including the acts of Jesus Fake News. Unless it fits their political agenda. So, why don’t we just take care of people as a nation because it’s the right thing to do? You were more than likely born into a family that took care of you until you could get on your feet.

See, I’m not a Bernie Sanders style liberal. I don’t mind telling a 30 year old man to get off his ass and work for a living. But, I also don’t mind if that 30 year old man is trying letting him get food stamps  to feed his family with. I also don’t mind not having health care tied to an employer who may or may not be able to afford to pay the premiums. The Canadian system works folks. Notice the influx of people across the border is from the south not the northern border. I hate right now that I can’t go ahead and retire. I’ve worked most of my life. But, I have to wait and make sure the insurance will work. That makes most of us not named Trump or Clinton a servant or dare I say slave for life.

Anyway, that’s just my two cents today. I know there are lots of ways to look at life. I just hope we can get this nation out of the ditch before we get so covered with dirt we can’t be rescued. Please wake up.

Peace.