Woke to rain today, God loves me.

Lightly and very politely during the night, the grass is wet, the slugs happy, and Earl may delay front yard maintenance for a bit. My sister is coming to visit, so the grass will be greener tomorrow.

I also had motor vehicle maintenance to have performed, and off the exercise machines and into the van. I don't have enough fresh memory of how the world about me works (the world around me?). I am on Facebook too much to have a real interaction with real people. I drove roads I once biked on to go to work in the South Tacoma Library branch, as I drove by I couldn't tell if it would be open later. Budget problems.

I have a nice young man take my requests, key and gets my mileage and I go off to glance at the Jeeps, which really aren't (power everything? why?). I am quickly attached to the young lady that follows me to make sure I will have my questions answered and can find my way to the salesmen in the tower. I thank her and decide just on my financial diet, there isn't anything made in the USA that I can afford to dream about acquiring. Not in the wheels variety. Mine are all paid for... except for taxes and insurance premiums. I am so old.

I read my kindle, stuck in the days of Merlin, as a child.

As I read I keep thinking that we, the current culture, have little idea of climate conditions long ago and far away - we expect that is was very like it is now. But I keep thinking that Genghis Khan had much good pastures to produce many more Mongol herds, flocks and babies to become conqering barbarians. That kind of thinking gets me seeing the expansion of Germanic tribes, Viking raiders, and such - all because the climate changes, allows more growth, which demands expansion into new areas for exploitation. All because of the charcoal fires buring brightly to make steel. Along with the warming of the north to produce grapes, you get the slow expansion of the mosquitoes, flies, ticks and fleas from the tropical viral breeding grounds that will kill off humans.

Nothing is controllable, ask a bull rider. You have to go with the flow.

The Greatest generation wanted to feed a family of six with one bathroom and one car on one job. They did it. My generation wanted to take a lease on a normal family for a few years and have no more than two children and two and a half baths, and a bed for all, and a television, two jobs and college degrees for everyone, and manageable debt up to the eyeballs. From afar view, the next generation will know less, do more and be entirely unsatisfied in the result -- because History started when they opened their own eyes in comprehension of their centrality - the universe revolves around them, reported immediately on twitter and Facebook. The nicest thing, as the EMP wipes out the digital history of the moment, no one in the future dark ages will burn the bits and bytes to start the fires of destruction, like the library in Alexandria.

Who are you, do you think anyone knows?

Are you working class? Lower class, upper class, rich swell, homeless drunk, single mother, deadbeat dad? What is your color? Black, white, red, yellow? Your tribe: Zulu, Saxon, Roman, Spartan, Mongol? Does seem to be lots of pens to separate the sheep into, or is it cages for you dangerous gun toting ones, mansions for the government elite, you can have your place - just accept the way the World works... it isn't a computer program, but we will pretend it is.

Sorry, I don't want to play, and it always upsets me to hear that I must be something because of what I have on my collar (too much time in the military and rank is often equated with brains and behavior) what I look like as I dress. The amount of total lies and foolishness about war, about History, or about science that someone wants to be true --- or even worse their thoughts on God or religions (which are never the same thing). But no one wants to admit that they must constantly question, for the truth to ever be found, you must test and taste and then you can own it. If you are living on someone's thoughts or their story - are you going to make all their mistakes? Standing outside without emotional attachment you can see what went wrong... but you don't do enough after actions, nor spread the wealth of your new knowledge and tactics quickly enough to change.

The government has no interest in treating you as a thinking caring human being. They live on the idea that they will have to beat you to get enough work out of you, pay you money for not rioting, and feed you because you can't feed yourself. I have been in countries where none of those things exist - and they function as well or better than here in the United States of America. A truth is, humans will cooperate and solve problems to survive and grow. Considering that teachers unions didn't exist when Lincoln was growing up, in the 19th Century, one wonders if we would all be able to make moving speeches, if we hadn't been burdened with the 20th Century educational goals. Since the goal of the Union is always to control the employment of their members and to leverage the employer to the point they almost expire - I have always wanted a union that qualified and certified its members and negotiated their contracts, and stood proud of their quality members, instead of just confrontational accepting guilt and responsibility for poor performance. But I have always wanted too much.

Anyway, you can label me whatever you believe, but I answer to Earl much better than Bill or William. But you would have to know me, and no matter what cage, pen or pasture you think you have put my into - I don't fit any of them. But rest assured, I don't want to put you into a box, and mislabel all you are or could be to my goals in life. Be blest, live long in love.

I want to pay attention but I am busy...

I did notice that the man at the microphone for either party at either convention, will declare the winner of a voice vote, no matter which Yea or No is loudest. Both parties.

I did notice, and brightened both my day and my wife's that President Bill Clinton really is rousing, and then too long and wandering, as the Cowboys were playing the Giants. So we switched back. The officials were interesting, the tons of holdings were finally being caught, now if the receivers caught more, or the passers weren't over throwing. Still I expect both of those teams to settle into practice and performance and professional entertainment value. Do you notice a theme? I expect better of the football teams than the politicians or their political parties or our government in general.

I finally put together an 'I love me shadow box' for my time in the military, and turned it into the professionals to finish up. I have some ideas about making one for my father, and have some serious ideas that include his war trophy and stuff. I threw lots of little forget about it, it is over, stuff away tonight. If I did swap meets or gun shows I might just have sat and sold it cheap just to get a chance to swap stories with the young and the ones that have no idea. I don't so I didn't.

Take care out there, lots of work still waiting to be done, and tomorrow is another day to start upon it, again.

Labour Day, one of those I could miss, not working...

Although, it was wonderful to have my wife with a day off, the beauty of the day, so we saw a movie and had a fish dinner and walked in the park to keep me awake. A very good day.

The movie is worth recommending, so go see it. 2016.

I loved it for reasons most folks from the United States of America would miss, but then I am not always with the crowd. I was disappointed to find that Barack Obama wasn't born in Kenya. Well, junior wasn't. Barack Obama, senior, certainly was.

I liked best the comparison of the author and Barack's early life, how both of them succeeded in the USA, and all the background of their people and countries/cultures of origin.

Of the people interviewed, I really keyed in on George Obama, our President's younger brother. He said three things that were worth the price of admission. But I don't expect that the mainstream media, the liberals and the neocons to pay attention, because what he said will not fit their world view. But he didn't lie, which I found refreshing.

I will say I do not fear President Obama's second term if he wins it, I don't think what will happen is his plan nor his fault. Most of what needs fixing in the United States isn't within the control of the government, so I expect the Zombie Apocalypse no matter who wins just because both parties and the bankers are ignorant of how quickly and permanently lack of trust will destroy the whole fabric of our nation and there by the world. Don't worry about it, plastic surgery and stomach operations may make you look good, but you aren't healthier. Same problem for the country.

There were some great previews of coming movies, and I will be looking for them. I have up graded my basic television with the HD channels, keeping only the others that I sometimes watch, like the Canadian cable. Like time on the computer, I don't need more books, television or internet - but if I have any of them for the best they have to offer, I should make the platform worthy, too.

What am I doing up so early again?

No good reason, there ought to be a law against it.

It is Sunday, and church at nine-thirty, coffee and talk, Sunday school lesson, then seaweed and rice soup for my wife and her friends as they chatter away, then back home. Must be some football somewhere, but I am drifting away from the noise on the television about whatever.

In the cable bill was the guide for doing my best on all that is out there - since there is too much, I will look at what is likely for my time, worthy. I am talking about the difference between regular and HD. Sure enough, when I went on the HD broadcast I had full screen and wonderful entertainment, then commercial interruption.

Nicest thing about being up at this time in the morning with no background noise, I can listen to the video clips on my laptop. Not the greatest sound system and production in this machine. But you can't expect it to overcome my hearing challenges - if I were serious about it I would wear a hearset, knocking out the chatter to listen to the great sounds, digitally produced. Or not.

Speaking of background noise, no matter all the experts and the political process, I will find more joy in knowing all that I love is getting blest. Hope you find it so, too.

Lost in translation and lack of common knowledge...

 From the text of Governor Romney's speech, from Fox News:

"My dad never made it through college, and he apprenticed as a laugh (ph) and plaster carpenter. He had big dreams. He convinced my mom, a beautiful young actress, to give up Hollywood to marry him. And moved to Detroit."

The job was 'lath and plaster carpenter' -- I once knew a man that fed his family on that work. But young folks may not know that profession, although I think Governor Romney knew what his father had started learning. How many speech writers know about lath and plaster?

From my mother's love of stories, and my early reading of legends and myths:

King Cnut set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes. Yet "continuing to rise as usual [the tide] dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person. Then the king lept backwards, saying: 'Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the King name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.'

Governor Romney was reaching for me in the audience with this statement: "President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans." or he thought that it was an illustration for those fearing the Greens and Global Warming... I like to think he was reaching for me, without saying that President Obama had failed to acknowledge the Lord's singular authority over the Universe - or that they don't teach the lessons of kingship that King Knute understood and demonstrated.

You know, I missed it...

I was watching the beginning of Clint Eastwood's bit on the stage in Tampa, and my brother called on Sykpe.com and I took the call.

Yeah, family is very like that. I even cooked dinner and had it waiting for my wife's return from work last night, that was different, too. So I have demonstrated some positive efforts at rejoining humanity and the struggle. I have hope.

One of the things my brother talked about was how long it is taking to get his body and life back to normal. I reminded him that he is older and it takes longer to correct injuries, surgeries and bad habits. I should have paid more attention to my wisdom, because it has been true of me for my own recovery and at least I am accepting it better. Do you think the country is going to be gracious and patient enough to recover from its experiments beyond the Constitution?  People do it all the time, excesses of flings of fancy go over well if you are Earl or Prince Harry, provided you use the foolish stunts to flee to growing up and growing old and remembering when. Kind of difficult to keep playing a bad boy when you get fat, wrinkled and baggy... although there are many trying, constantly.

Now the country is an institution, a geographic location, a population of folks, an idea, and still young and too rough and strong but mostly loving... all the fires are still burning, not many have been put out although some seemed banked for future starts upon waking up.  Yep, a dangerous idea, and seemingly self centered and often out of control - which could be very dangerous.  Be humble and handle with care, you aren't finished with life yet. I like my country, but I am sure that chanting USA or saying the Greatest isn't going to make it better. Begin in bumble and humble, that gives you room for growth. There are choices and chances to change the day. You have to make them and work on the one you think will help, just being outside of Washington, DC and the government gives you a better perspective of the possible. Seems that everyone that goes to DC as anything but a tourist gets tainted and disoriented. They did drain the physical swamp and build the city, but I wonder if they have ever thought about the spiritual swamp that government is mired in?

Time to go on my way, and begin my day, talking about the future and government isn't as good as thanking the Lord and asking His attention to my efforts, so my time here is done. Back later.... be good for the best of reasons - because you can and the Lord loves it. Amen.