Ok, I will be back from time to time. Certainly not as often as before.

I must admit that I miss some of the very special people I have gotten to know. After an experience this past Saturday night; ranging from a fantastic dinner out and then coming back to a maelstrom all I can say is there is great clarity now. If you remember I did mention the need for a mental realignment.

So I am looking forward to rejoining my special friends and the joy of their company.

Well it seems to me that there are some absolutely wonderful people in NN. Some I have just gotten to know and would very much enjoy getting to know better. Others I have known a while and very much enjoy. There is one extremely special person,well I will get to that in a minute.

But the tenor of NN has changed so drastically over the past year. The bravado expressed, the inconsideration for others, the meism. I'm fed up with it. So much so that I need a break. I don't like seeing people I have come to consider friends being harrassed and provoked. I have and will always come to stand by them when this happens. I don't like seeing or hearing about that extremely who is adored by so many being mocked and treated poorly. There are even others who because of power and popularity have teetered on the edge of being sanctimonious. What makes them feel that way? I have no idea but am becoming resentful of that attitude. I don't enjoy seeing any of it at all.

I also have some realignment thinking to do. So that is another reason. I will be in to blog a bit from time to time. To check pm's if any for me (won't be many if any I know, lol). Maybe even stop in chat for a few moments.

This is for BB, no I'm not saying I'm leaving, just a sabbatical, a break. So don't get pissed at me, lol.

There are a very precious few who know how to contact me via other methods...please do that if you would like...I know I would.

So for now.... vaya con Dios! Have a wonderful weekend.

I remember when charades used to be a parlor game.

Amazing isn't it, simply amazing. I had meetings most of the day. Get home and pull into the driveway and apply the parking break. What do I hear.....SNAP. The cable snapped again on the emergency break assembly.

Soooooooooooooo back to the mechanic! Not the way I wanted to spend my Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've had worse, oh believe me much much worse, but really didn't need this day today!

Ok now, if you are interested in reading this then please proceed. If not, I don't blame ya and please exit now. : - )

Point # 1)

I wrote a blog yesterday about July 4th, Americana and how wonderful it was that people in all types of communities were celebrating it and even gave a contrast from today (being the now) and during my childhood (being waaaaaaaaaaay back there). Only one person that I know of read it and instead of leaving a comment they im'd me to talk about it. That was sweet of them. To my knowledge no one else read it or if they did didn't think well enough of it to leave a comment. I mean it is their right not too, I recognize that. So, it must be so poorly written (I do have the tendency) that it isn't of interest so I have deleted it.

Point #2)

On Sunday took my truck in because the parking break cable went on me. They called late on Sunday to let me know they couldn't get to it but first thing Monday morning. Well, when I called to get an update..guess what..yup they hadn't even looked at it yet. This enabled me to start of my retort to that in a very nice, how can we get it done conversation. The responses I got to my being nice was, well underwhelming at best. Sooooooo I decided to become a surgeon and ripped that poor boy a new asshole. Guesswhat? They got to it and right away. End of the story? Nope! The indicator light on the dash panel would show the break always engaged now. Soooooo today I took it in knowing that was just a quick fix. I took the time to indicate the problem and history. No problem Mr. Tex we will get right to it. Ok now...did you notice the choice of words...RIGHT TO IT. Now to me on a slow day that means, getting a technician um how do you say...yeah i know, RIGHT TO IT!. But nope, not the case. Yes my jaw was dropping as well. I went in and asked the guy very nicely.....how much longer? He responded, we are getting RIGHT TOO it! So now I bite my lower lip even causing a cut and walk away not wanting, ok wanting, but not humiliating and teaching this young pup what the words RIGHT AWAY mean. So, then, I get a call. It is the SEARS repairman. He apparently is ready to stop by the house and fix what needed repair. But yes you got it, I'm not there, I'm away getting my very easy problem, what should have been done the first time, fixed. SO he wants to come by now RIGHT AWAY. Apparently Sear's teaches their folks the meaning of the phrase.

Well this guy stumbles through the situation (definately not the sharpest tack in the drawer) and he visit was over an hour most of the time he spent in his truck writing a report. Oh did I mention he wasn't able to fix the problem! See it will apparently take two to three weeks to get the part, but once they did, they would fix it RIGHT AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll stop now but there was a 3 and a 4. But really y'all don't care, lol. Let's face the facts, I doubt anyone even got this far in the blog. : - )

I hate writing self centered all about me (hope I haven't in the past need to go check on that, lol) Blogs. But today, I need to share something with you...it is definately a Time Out day... am I on candid camera!

When I visited the grocery store today for a quick stop two things happened and then again at the Dry Cleaners another. Now understand when I get up in the morning and look in the mirror first thing...I usually feel sorry for the world and those that have to see what I am seeing right then. That being said....

When I was in the grocery store (the the ill fated experience of reaching for the mayo one) I was walking down the aisle where the deli is (roast beef sandwich for lunch today : - ) ) the girls at the counter started doing a cheerleading cheer...Tex (they used my real name), Tex, he's our man! He gives us a smile whenever he can. Tex, Tex, he's our man and if he can't do it then nobody can!!!!!!!!!! They laughed and were beaming with eyes glistening.

I stopped in my tracks, beet red, grinning from ear to ear. I really don't do anything special just a little more than 1/4 lob of this. I mean like can you take your finger off the scale when you weigh it stuff. So unexpected, so appreciated. Silly I know but hey, they thought about it and planned it.

Then as I was leaving the store going to the truck I passed a very lovely woman on her way into the store. After passing me......


Ok now I must tell you here as an aside nothing like that has happened to me for like ever, since 1992. When I was walking down a side street in Cordoba and these two very lovely spanish women ( no to those sarcastic readers they weren't hookers) started talking in spanish (I mean it is their primary language)about me referring to good looks (ok I know just an average joe but hey it happened and I will never forget it although I'm sure they have, lol).

Back to the story...this woman right after having passed me called back to me and said..."excuse me sir, I just wanted to say to you that your smile makes a difference and thank you for it. A handsome gentleman has brightened my day. Do have a wonderful one and thank you." Ok now, who set this up? Am I on candid camera? This does not happen to me nor should it but hey, I'll take it.

So naturally I am beaming from this..feeling good ya know. I go into the dry cleaners (pass it on the way home) to pick some stuff up and the lady behind the counter who usually assists me said..."you have the most wonderful smile". Now all I could say was thank you and yes beam.

Now I am pondering the thought that if my day is going this well maybe I should swing by the race track. Maybe my good morning will spill over the afternoon. Then I thought better and decided to postpone the reality of the inevitable and cut the grass instead.

Smiles and how they are projected do make a difference. But what a great day and tomorrow when I look into the mirror...I will keep the light off so I don't come crashing right back to earth.

Without any fanfare my one year anniversary as a member of NN slipped by. Even slipped by me until I just recently checked.

Over the past year I must say that I have met some very special people here. Some recently and some from the very start.

Do I still, after this one year enjoy NN. Yes but it has changed. Not that the change wasn't expected. After all it is only natural that it would.

Some of the special people in here I have only just met. One was a member who came back and the other was completely new. But what I have noticed a change in tenor. From both the older members and some new ones and guests.

What I hope is underscored and a foundation of this site is simple human respect for others. I see that eroding and it needs to change or good people will most probably leave.

I witnessed and responded to a bashing of an individual by two people, young but seemingly favorites. They jumped all over a older more mature woman. Calling her sour, crusty, dried up. Who the hell are they to think that there ways are any better that the person they were attacking. They will probably say they had class in not attacking her to her face. The fact is, the lady (and she is every bit of that) is in a league way out of the reach of the attackers. I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for the two and for anybody who feels that kind of behavior is acceptable.

Another thing I have noticed is an increasing barrage of personal opinions about to be a member you need to have postings. Well simply put, that isn't a site requirement. And unless there is a petition to make it one, then keep your opinions to yourself. I don't post on here for my own reasons whether you consider them valid or not is frankly not an issue to even discuss. There are many old members, cherished by many who don't post. So if the rule ever comes into effect then understand they must go as well. So please stop with all that bravado and unnecessary unwelcoming dialog. It is all wasted energy.

There are other reflections that I could write about but in fact they are very personal and I will spare you them. If people want to know I will address that on a one to one basis.

So there are my ramblings in celebration of my 1 year anni. Yeah for me, lol. Ok I know who really cares., lol.

I had an entry earlier about the song I've got the world on a string. Well I deleted that because of realizations. Trends are meaningful and telling.

So instead of the song
world being on a string...there comes to mind a movie. That movie is Goodbye Columbus. One of the first scenes involves a protest at Columbia University. As the panned camera takes you up the steps of the main administration building there is a sign being held by a student.

The sign reads,

Gravity doesn't exist...the earth sucks.

Another movie line is appropriate now...thus endith the lesson.

Actions are telling!

Some lessons do come very hard and not always the lessons we want to experience. Yet, "it is what it is". So it is time now to fill you in on the last verse of Dos Gardenias.

A tu lado viviran y se hablaran
Como cuando estas conmigo
Y hasta creeras que te diran:
Te quiero.
Pero si un atardecer
Loas gardenias de mi amor se mueren
Es porque han adivinado
Que tu amor me ha traicionado
Porque existe otro querer.

There is this song from the Buena Vista Social Club, sung by Ibrahim Ferrer and written by Isolina Carillo.

It is a ballad, remember them? I am going to write the first verse only and the last one hopefully doesn't apply.

Please excuse the accents aren't where they need to be.


Dos Gardenias

Dos gardenias para ti
Con ellas quiero decir
Te quireo, te adoro, mi vida
Ponle toda tu atentcion
Porque son tu corazon y el mio.