Specs

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I feel I have worn glasses forever.

They are as much a part of me as grabbing my wallet, pocketknife, keys, and handkerchief.

But looking back at photos I’m surprised how long it took my parents to realize I could not see.

I remember having problems in school because I couldn’t see the blackboard.

Reading was a struggle so homework suffered.

I didn’t play sports because I couldn’t see the ball until it hit me in the face.

From the dates on the photos it looks like I was 12 when I started to wear the plastic frames.

Most of the time I didn’t have much selection or choice for a fashion look, so the brown thick frames divided my face.

Later in life, I had to buy my own vision and went through many changes.

Big frames, metal frames, shaded lenses, bi-focal lenses, and dark glasses I could see through changed my look through the years.

Being an artist, my eyes and my hands have been instruments of my career.

Years of televisions small grainy black and white screens took its toil on my sight, and then the computer came along with a noticeable drop in viewing details.

I’m sure I can blame age on some of this, but I must wear my specs every day. They are the first thing to put on every morning and the last thing to take off at night.

Being a four-eyes is what I am.

or as the Lovin' Spoonful said:

For eyes, what you gonna do now
Fore eyes, and how much do you see now
How many fingers, ha ha ha
When your kids that see through plastic
with a harness of elastic
So the girls all think you´re icky
And the boys all think you´re queer
Then the hinges all get rusty
And the seventh pair gets busted
So you graduate to tortoise
Shell that makes you look severe
When you´re so blind they call you Batman
You can´t even see a fat man
You can´t dig just where he´s at man
Without windows on your eyes
But the frames ain´t your decision
And they´re fitted with precision
And they magnify your eyes like they´re a pair of cherry pies
Here´s a word to all you parents
Give a break to little Clarence
When he says the blackboard´s fadin´
And the world´s a fuzzy place
Mister up in middle classes
And please recall that after all he
wears them on his face

Old Maids

Been eating a lot of popcorn this winter.

Had to replace the burnt out air popper, then thought about what was left in the bottom of the bowl.

Those kernels not yet fully puffed to perfection, but almost there.

Not the virgin kernels bounced around but never responded.

Old maids are the ones who are half way cracked open like a nugget in a shell.

They never met their full potential.

The heat started to open them, but they never puffed into a light fluffy pop.

Crunchy and gritty on your teeth.

These are my favorites.

Five Police Cars and a Near Death Experience

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For several weeks now, I have broken my morning routine and not taken my 10k bike ride. Snow, cold, ice, wind, donation pickups were all excuses.

Meanwhile the bikes, like ponies in a corral, have sat idle waiting for a ride.

So this morning I swore to myself this morning was time to take my ride.

The weather had been warm, but I was still awaiting Jesus, who came yesterday afternoon.

Today there were no excuses. Even waking up late did not prevent me from saddling up and walking up the gravel to the grey sky. As I adjusted myself to the temperature and clearing my throat, the rain clouds that would be with me for several days began to appear on the horizon.

Marion glided down the hill and over the remands of sand and salt, then a turn to starboard. Catching my breath, I began to get into a rhythm long forgotten. After a turn back, noticing a Cowboys banner on front of a house and thinking, “You can take that down. That ain’t gonna happen this year.”

Up the hill I see Christmas lights still up and wonder if the residents know this is the 21st of January and it is a no-no in this old town to leave the past season decorations after the 20th? It was like the guy I saw in the white suit last weekend. Are there no rules?

Turning to opposite side of the medium to avoid a large moving truck, I first thought another family was leaving, but was pleasant surprised when on the side of the truck was written “Showroom Furniture”.

The pace was slower for the first third of the venture, but I appreciated being on two wheels going around a truck loading a portable storage unit, passing the mobile machines parked and waiting.

I noticed a lot of police cars on my travels. This trip passed five of Richmond’s finest parked throughout. Was there a crime wave-taking place in my neighborhood or had house prices dropped so public servants with free rides could buy in?

At the top of the hill, I paused and listened for traffic. The street was lined with huge vans and trucks for every house seemed to under some sort of construction (I can relate) or the usual SUVs the size of small elephants. I looked left, since that is the first lane to cross and noticed no movement. A quick look to the right and I was off.

Then a black mobile machine appeared from behind a block of mobile metal. My mind quickly woke and decisions were made. I pressed the pedal with determination and struggled to quicken the pace over the hill. Luckily the driver also saw me and slowed to let me pass.

Drifting down the other side of the hill I thought wouldn’t it be ironic to be run over on my first outing in over a month. I was out of practice.

Paying more attention to traffic patterns I reached the end of my first third unscathed.

Waiting for the light to change and the drivers to clear I noticed a hint of sunshine, but it was fleeting. My fingers were still numb from the cold as I pushed on.

Up another hill, avoiding metal monsters and construction workers, I passed a jogger who waved and said “Hey! Morning!!” with a smile. I wondered why a young girl (40’s?) was doing out this time of day.

Perhaps she was taking a break from working at home or a single mom getting some exercise was my only answers. It didn’t matter in a blink of an eye she was gone.

On the back of a mud covered jeeps spare wheel cover was a black and white skull and crossed swords. “Argggh!” Oh, to be a pirate again.

Stopping at Malvern to drink the very cold water and survey the territory. A gray mobile carrier pulled up behind me waiting as if I was taking up too much space to turn, so I continued.

Traffic was light from there on so my pace quickened to my usual speed. I took deep breaths as I approached the Wythe hill, but first I had to slide to a stop to wait for a driver to make a decision on which direction to take.

The hill wasn’t as bad as I thought, but I considered the pain I would feel tomorrow with a grin. An up-shift down the hill, I was looking forward to the roller-coaster.

At the church, I watered again then could feel my right leg press hard against the resistance, but made the pass of the street of monuments and into my last third passage.

The hills were familiar and the breathing on track. Marion was glad to be out and frisky on the cleared roadways.

Before I knew it, I was done.

The sky had grown grey with the impending weather and the air grew colder, but I was warm and energized.

Placing the Gray Ghost back on the porch with Bianchi and Big Blue, I paused for a cup of coffee and watch the fish swim in clear water.

Warm weather is not far off, I thought, so I can get back into a regular pattern. Four more book cases and boxes of scraps of old shirts, silky items, and memories to go through until I attack the jewelry and silver.

There will always be reconstruction, but it felt good to get some needed internal travel and mental exercise beyond weird dreams.

Gullibility

I saw this cartoon the other day and thought it so true.



Then I put other names at the top of the "Test", and they ALL seemed to fit.

"Government", "Religion", "Love"....

We pay our dues, follow the rules, give our lifetime

and the rewards are?


It's all about faith.

The Dogs of Summer

Last night I kept hearing dogs.

Not barking, but the word “dog” stood out in the lyrics.

In the crowd of hot bodies clapping to guys living out their childhood fantasy, I visualize dogs.

Dogs running down the grassy knolls chasing butterflies on a summer breeze.

The freedom we all enjoy watching and wish for.

I’ve got to do something with this word - dog.

I'M GOIN' BE A CHICKEN-FARMER DOWN IN HAITI (cml, 1979)

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Well, I m going' be a chicken farmer down in Haiti

Yes, I m going' be a chicken farmer down in Haiti

I'm going' have a chicken farm

Ain’t gonna cause no harm

I'm going' be a chicken farmer down in Haiti

I feed all the people real good down in Haiti

Yes, I feed all the people real good down in Haiti

In 'da city Port-au-Prince

Chicken-in-a-box for 40¢

I feed all 'da people real. good down in Haiti

I could raise a crop of weed down in Jamaica

Sell my crop, make big money, and forsake ya'

But, I'm going' start a chicken farm

Ain't gonna cause no harm

5 million people eat my chicken down in Haiti

Well de' hurricane blow me away down in Haiti

de' hurricane blow me away down in Haiti

Well de' hurricane done blow me away

But, I come back someday

I'm going' be a chicken farmer down in Haiti

I come back to the U,S,A, in da' winter'

I come back to the U.S,A, in da' winter'

But you know I have my pride

Come, stand by my side

We going' be chicken farmers down in Haiti

for those of us who where there know, and others can only wonder.

Intelligence

There must be an organizational layout of the U.S. Intelligence community
with over 100,000 associates
spending $49.8 BILLON dollars.

1. Central Intelligence Agency that is responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers.

2. Defense Intelligence Agency manages foreign military intelligence to support military planning, operations, and acquiring weapon systems.

3. Department of Energy provides technical analysis on nuclear weapons and worldwide energy issues.

4. Department of Homeland Security analysis multiple sources to identify threats to the United States.

5. Department of State analysis of global developments and other issues.

6. Department of Treasure manages information related to money.

7. Drug Enforcement Administration manages information obtained by drug enforcement.

8. Federal Bureau of Investigation defends the U.S. against terrorist while upholding the criminal laws of the U.S.

9. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency collects and creates information about navigation, national security, military operations, and humanitarian-aid efforts.

10. National Reconnaissance Office designs, builds and operates the nation’s reconnaissance satellites.

11. National Security Agency / Central Security Service protects information systems and produces foreign intelligence.

12. Marine Corps maintains reconnaissance and surveillance, military/naval intelligence, human-source intelligence, counterintelligence, imagery intelligence, signals intelligence, and tactical exploitation of national capabilities.

13. Army responsible for policy formulation and oversight for intelligence for the Department of the Army.

14. Coast Guard guards U.S. economic and security interest in maritime region.

15. Air Force provides aerial reconnaissance and surveillance developing intelligence gathered from space platforms.

16. Navy supports missions including U.S. military acquisition and development, counter terrorism, counter proliferation, counter narcotics, and customs enforcement.


There seems to be some overlap, but only these 16 departments with all of their resources are gathering and sharing information keeping our nation safe from a bunch of bad bullies.

Don’t pull the covers over your head.