Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Giving Thanks
Well, it's Thanksgiving again and I am reflecting on just what I have to be thankful for this year. There are many things that come to mind but one giant negative crowds out everything else from my train of thought; the direction of this "progressive Government". I hate it! Absolutely hate the direction Obama and his cronies are taking this country.
But I digress. Let me give thanks. Venus, my wonderful, kind, intelligent, hard-working, loving mom, teacher and my favorite daughter. Yes, she's my only daughter but I couldn't ask for anyone better than her to call my only daughter. I love you, dear.
My son-in-law and my two grandchildren. They are great and healthy and I am thankful to be their father-in-law and grandfather. I love you.
My very best friend ever, Shannon, who has reawakened in me energy that I thought was lost forever. She keeps me active, she keeps me straight, she keeps me thinking and she keeps me young. I love you, sweetheart.
My most wonderful, loving, loyal dog ever I have known, Luna. She is such a joy to me, a blessing every single day of my life. I don't know how I was so lucky to find this companion but I am eternally grateful for her presence in my life. I love you, Luna Belle.
My family, who is not as close as we used to be since my parents have passed away, but I have learned many things from each and every one of you and I am thankful to have been born into such a good family. I love you all.
My friends. I don't have a lot of friends, I never have. But the people I count as my friends are very special to me and I remain loyal to those of you in my inner circle. Acquaintances are fine, but good friends are so much better. Peter, a special shout out to you, my longest friend and hopefully we will always stay close. I love you all.
My country, the greatest country in the world's history. May we be able to weather this storm of dependence and entitlement the "progressive/liberal movement" has drawn us into and return our government to its rightful place of insuring freedom and liberty for all, not the ridiculous class warfare animosity that is being waged around me constantly, often in the name of political correctness or environmentalism. I love America, but I don't love government.
My health, which I believe I contribute positively to in the actions I take to continue my existence on this planet. Good health should never be taken for granted, I did that for many years during my long my drinking phase, which I regret severely, but have been on a healthy course since kicking that awful, negative habit. I guess I love myself for doing this. :<) But I do owe a deep debt to Jack Crosetti, my former boss and good friend, who pushed me and went with me to AA to start me on the road to recovery. May he rest in peace.
Simple pleasures. They are the best. Good conversation with a good friend. Games. Sports. Gator sports especially. Especially Gator basketball. Travel. Seeing new places and learning about different times, cultures and events in history. Doing this with people I love. Like my daughter and son in law and my two grandkids. Sushi. Freedom. I am a thankful person for all of these things. I love life.
And I am thankful for the timing of my life. Too soon and I would have missed some of the most extraordinary inventions of mankind. Too late and I would quite possibly be living in a socialist or fascist or Marxist country where the state dictates every aspect of one's life. And that's exactly where we are heading with Obama at the helm. Faster than I ever thought possible.
Politics scare me. Politics also intrigue me. I can't stand hearing about all the absurdities going on in Washington, yet I can't stand not knowing about those absurdities. I am constantly amazed at the audacity and ignorance and self-serving interests of elected politicians. They keep pushing and people keep nudging them to push harder and harder to benefit one group or another. And all the while our freedoms disappear one by one. Little by little they chip away at the very essence of our individualism, our country's power and reduce it to meaningless drivel. Inaccurate numbers on an over-priced government web site.
And the people who amaze me the most are the common people who think that socialism can work. Those who believe that government control of our lives somehow fulfills the idealistic, utopian dream of a perfect society. These uninformed people who believe their beloved politician actually cares about you and is doing everything in your interest. How can people not see through these blowhards, spending our money and our kids money and our grandkids money while enhancing their own interests. Power and control. Nothing happens unless it benefits their interests in some way. It must further their goals of power and control and they have the purse strings of the American taxpayer to play with. We have to realize that the level of corruption in DC has greatly exceeded its limits and the trend must be stopped and reversed. They are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs to benefit themselves or their pet group.
The assault Obama and Pelosi and Reid have unleashed on our freedoms were predicted by some and encouraged by many. After such division during the Bush years, the hard left thought they were going to get everything they ever dreamed about. Well, almost. Perhaps the message that Obama declared a few days before the election that he will "fundamentally transform America" is finally sinking in to those who are paying attention. I surely hope so.
I truly hope that masses of people will realize that what is happening in DC is NOT what is in the best interests of this country. I truly hope there is someone out there willing and able to lead the charge back to less government and more individual freedoms. I sincerely hope the fundamental transformation can be stopped before it gets going at a full gallop and it will be too late. I hope the tea party protests continue, I would like to attend another one. I wish the FairTax would get a fair discussion in Congress. I wish enough citizens of this country would wake up and stop the overthrow of our capitalistic system before it's too late.
I truly hope I can continue to give thanks for being born in this country. I truly hope the same will be true for my grandkids and their grandkids after them.
Happy Thanksgiving.
OH
But I digress. Let me give thanks. Venus, my wonderful, kind, intelligent, hard-working, loving mom, teacher and my favorite daughter. Yes, she's my only daughter but I couldn't ask for anyone better than her to call my only daughter. I love you, dear.
My son-in-law and my two grandchildren. They are great and healthy and I am thankful to be their father-in-law and grandfather. I love you.
My very best friend ever, Shannon, who has reawakened in me energy that I thought was lost forever. She keeps me active, she keeps me straight, she keeps me thinking and she keeps me young. I love you, sweetheart.
My most wonderful, loving, loyal dog ever I have known, Luna. She is such a joy to me, a blessing every single day of my life. I don't know how I was so lucky to find this companion but I am eternally grateful for her presence in my life. I love you, Luna Belle.
My family, who is not as close as we used to be since my parents have passed away, but I have learned many things from each and every one of you and I am thankful to have been born into such a good family. I love you all.
My friends. I don't have a lot of friends, I never have. But the people I count as my friends are very special to me and I remain loyal to those of you in my inner circle. Acquaintances are fine, but good friends are so much better. Peter, a special shout out to you, my longest friend and hopefully we will always stay close. I love you all.
My country, the greatest country in the world's history. May we be able to weather this storm of dependence and entitlement the "progressive/liberal movement" has drawn us into and return our government to its rightful place of insuring freedom and liberty for all, not the ridiculous class warfare animosity that is being waged around me constantly, often in the name of political correctness or environmentalism. I love America, but I don't love government.
My health, which I believe I contribute positively to in the actions I take to continue my existence on this planet. Good health should never be taken for granted, I did that for many years during my long my drinking phase, which I regret severely, but have been on a healthy course since kicking that awful, negative habit. I guess I love myself for doing this. :<) But I do owe a deep debt to Jack Crosetti, my former boss and good friend, who pushed me and went with me to AA to start me on the road to recovery. May he rest in peace.
Simple pleasures. They are the best. Good conversation with a good friend. Games. Sports. Gator sports especially. Especially Gator basketball. Travel. Seeing new places and learning about different times, cultures and events in history. Doing this with people I love. Like my daughter and son in law and my two grandkids. Sushi. Freedom. I am a thankful person for all of these things. I love life.
And I am thankful for the timing of my life. Too soon and I would have missed some of the most extraordinary inventions of mankind. Too late and I would quite possibly be living in a socialist or fascist or Marxist country where the state dictates every aspect of one's life. And that's exactly where we are heading with Obama at the helm. Faster than I ever thought possible.
Politics scare me. Politics also intrigue me. I can't stand hearing about all the absurdities going on in Washington, yet I can't stand not knowing about those absurdities. I am constantly amazed at the audacity and ignorance and self-serving interests of elected politicians. They keep pushing and people keep nudging them to push harder and harder to benefit one group or another. And all the while our freedoms disappear one by one. Little by little they chip away at the very essence of our individualism, our country's power and reduce it to meaningless drivel. Inaccurate numbers on an over-priced government web site.
And the people who amaze me the most are the common people who think that socialism can work. Those who believe that government control of our lives somehow fulfills the idealistic, utopian dream of a perfect society. These uninformed people who believe their beloved politician actually cares about you and is doing everything in your interest. How can people not see through these blowhards, spending our money and our kids money and our grandkids money while enhancing their own interests. Power and control. Nothing happens unless it benefits their interests in some way. It must further their goals of power and control and they have the purse strings of the American taxpayer to play with. We have to realize that the level of corruption in DC has greatly exceeded its limits and the trend must be stopped and reversed. They are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs to benefit themselves or their pet group.
The assault Obama and Pelosi and Reid have unleashed on our freedoms were predicted by some and encouraged by many. After such division during the Bush years, the hard left thought they were going to get everything they ever dreamed about. Well, almost. Perhaps the message that Obama declared a few days before the election that he will "fundamentally transform America" is finally sinking in to those who are paying attention. I surely hope so.
I truly hope that masses of people will realize that what is happening in DC is NOT what is in the best interests of this country. I truly hope there is someone out there willing and able to lead the charge back to less government and more individual freedoms. I sincerely hope the fundamental transformation can be stopped before it gets going at a full gallop and it will be too late. I hope the tea party protests continue, I would like to attend another one. I wish the FairTax would get a fair discussion in Congress. I wish enough citizens of this country would wake up and stop the overthrow of our capitalistic system before it's too late.
I truly hope I can continue to give thanks for being born in this country. I truly hope the same will be true for my grandkids and their grandkids after them.
Happy Thanksgiving.
OH