tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237687282024-03-14T00:44:41.129-04:00life's journeybilliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.comBlogger3347125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-14154602678297096092015-09-10T13:51:00.001-04:002015-09-10T13:51:37.762-04:00this journey is ending<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
in 2006, i started this blog and launched myself into uncharted waters...over the years, i learned much about myself and met many real and interesting people....had my share of debates :) and did my share of fluffy cat posts :)<br />
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and along my journey i meandered until i got tired....i got tired of fighting people i thought were on the same side as i....and the blogosphere changed and the internets changed....and i lost my love of blogging....and i lost people i loved....<br />
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one thing i did learn quickly about blogging and the internets- relationships do form and bonds can be just as tight with 'cyber buddies' as in 'real life'....and i became a part of people's lives i never met face to face...and they mine...and i started losing them....bro tim, dan'l, spadoman....and it kind of cut the soul out of my words....<br />
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i wander over here from time to time and the itch is sometimes there....but i can't blog here...this place with my memories...and my words have changed and grown and started to meander in a different direction....but this place is still here and will always be here as part of my heart....<br />
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this is for my buddy- spadoman...<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">When you wake up</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Turn your radio on</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">And you'll hear this simple song</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">That I made up</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">That I made up for you</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">When you're driving</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Turn your radio up</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Cause I can't sing loud enough</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">All these days</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">To get my message through</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">If time is all I had</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'd waste it all on you</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Each day I'll turn it back</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">It's what the broken hearted-do</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'm tired of talking to an empty space</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Of silences keeping me awake</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">When you marry and you look around</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'll be somewhere in that crowd</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Torn up that it isn't me</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">When we're older and the memories fade</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I know I'll still feel the same, yeah</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">For as long as I live</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">And if time is all I had</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'd waste it all on you</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Each day I'll turn it back</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">It's what the broken hearted-do</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'm tired of talking to an empty space</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Of silences keeping me awake</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Won't you say my name one time</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Please, just say my name</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">And if time is all I had</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'd waste it all on you</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Each day I'll turn it back</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">It's what the broken hearted-do</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'm tired of talking to an empty space</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Of silences keeping me awake</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">If time is all I had</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'd waste it all on you</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Each day I'll turn it back</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">It's what the broken hearted-do</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I'm tired of talking to an empty space</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Of silences keeping me awake</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Won't you say my name</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">When the song is over?</span><br />
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billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-41836240469291602172015-06-05T16:21:00.000-04:002015-06-05T16:21:05.467-04:00crankypants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
i had two great blog pals- dan'l and spadoman...i could email them daily and have epic rants and they would know just what to say to bring me around to sane again...i don't have them anymore to rely on so i tend to get myself into a pickle on social media now and again...i don't know why i bother to venture an opinion there...it isn't the right forum for me...but i'm a glutton for punishment...<br />
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i continue to have trouble wrapping my mind around how women, in particular, can be an adherent to christianity in our culture....mostly because most of us women have the freedom to choose in this country...no matter how nice the person is or how many good works they accomplish, christianity has the stigma of being a patriarchal and controlling religion....no matter how many good works done or how strong the faith- women will always be second class citizens....going to church with like minded people only perpetuates the cycle....<br />
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'oh my church doesn't teach that or believe that' well, according to your christian bible- it should....according to the christian bible- women are lesser than men....lgbt should not be tolerated....non christians will burn in hell for all eternity and on and on....and if you aren't reading that and having it preached to you- your church is cherry picking just as surely as the churches who are.....<br />
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anyway, i am glad that there are so many 'good' christians out there....i am glad that they are doing 'good works' and that they have strong belief and faith in their religion....and i am glad that the women in these churches are happy to be second class citizens....<br />
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i, for one. am not....oh, and i don't eat babies either....</div>
billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-45662307469308624432015-05-21T16:47:00.000-04:002015-05-21T16:48:25.357-04:00human arrogance and white supremacy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
i know better than to log into facebook...i always get myself into trouble when i do. firstly, if you post on facebook and you have friended me- i take that to mean that you welcome my perspective...i try to remain tactful and on point- especially if i disagree with your post...if you're posting for sympathy, generally i roll my eyes and keep moving...<br />
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anyone who follows me on facebook knows how much i love ricky gervais....i admire his talent and his big heart when it comes to animals...nothing angers him more than those who mistreat and abuse animals...i'm right there with him...right now- <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/05/21/orig-gervais-v-hunters-rhino.cnn">he is taking on the trophy hunters</a> and the rampant killing by billionaires of the endangered species of big cats, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, etc....<br />
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as for me, well, i pick smaller game it guess...it really pisses me off that so many people view other animals as inferior to us simply because they don't build skyscrapers and speak english...well, they don't destroy the planet with their hubris and greed either...and when i hear folks talk about getting a pet and 'trying it out' to see if that animal is a 'good fit' like it's a shoe or a purse- it bugs me....something else that pisses me off is humans dumping pets on the streets or in the country- or even a shelter- because they can no longer take care of them or they are too much work...really?<br />
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would you do that to your child? your elderly relative? some would undoubtedly but most 'good people' change diapers for their children or loved one....clip their nails and cut their hair...find a sitter if they need to go away....feed them...so tell me again how an animal that shares our home and lives isn't the same as another human living in our house....<br />
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other species think and feel and have distinct personalities- i could list examples....we all know dolphins and whales are smart....we know that <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2270977/Elephants-really-grieve-like-They-shed-tears-try-bury-dead--leading-wildlife-film-maker-reveals-animals-like-us.html">elephants are smart</a>....pigs are highly intelligent...explain to me again why it's ok for us to adopt an animal but if we don't like it- we get rid of it....<br />
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i suppose there's no difference in white men believing that everyone else is inferior....</div>
billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-10958355124766175272015-05-04T16:27:00.002-04:002015-05-04T16:27:29.409-04:00early summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
i think of my buddy<a href="http://spadoman-roundcircle.blogspot.com/"> spadoman</a> all of the time....he and his family became a part of the fabric of my life for many years and i miss him and his stories greatly....i miss having a 'cuppa' buddy to share and gripe with or commiserate or just chat...the weather has finally turned nice and the forsythia are blooming...trees are budding and the birds are singing....and we would trade haiku...<br />
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our amazing journey<br />
twists and turns...seasons changing...<br />
life from spring to frost....<br />
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billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-1124974193972604222015-04-02T10:54:00.002-04:002015-04-02T10:54:55.388-04:00dusting off the cobwebs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
i haven't felt inspired to write in quite some time....life has a way of sucking the life out of you...significant losses rendered me mute...no one wants to read 'debbie downer' posts...it has been statistically proven :)<br />
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used to use this space for large chunks of political postings...and i may still from time to time....but i miss my blog buddies who have passed....i miss their voices and their spirits and their friendship....blogging for me cannot be the same...i suppose that is what life is all about- the slow/fast march of time....and changes....</div>
billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-17883065740811758032012-05-25T18:37:00.001-04:002012-05-25T18:37:43.107-04:00going to be unpopular for this<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
i get annoyed by memorial day...not because i believe that we shouldn't respect the military folks- but because i believe that we should respect them while they are alive...and also we already have veteran's day but that's a different post...<br />
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i do not believe that we should memorialize and celebrate people dying in war...and with the exception of world war 2- there hasn't been a war since that was fought for america's protection...pre-emptive war does not count as protection...it's lives squandered for war profiteering...<br />
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and spare me the 'you don't understand' speeches- i have several uncles that have served from world war 2 on down...and one is a career navy officer who recently became a chaplain...i also have several close friends who served...<br />
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memorial day isn't about rah, rah, rah flag waving...that's what july 4th is for...it is solemn remembrance for those who gave their lives fighting for what they believed was right...i find it annoying that so many hijack that thought for political and financial gain...<br />
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we need to do away with memorial day by doing away with the senseless killing of our military personnel...period....</div>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-84299178709824313312011-10-10T07:16:00.001-04:002011-10-10T07:19:41.989-04:00my small one<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oJrJ08UT9ZU/TpLUigiGngI/AAAAAAAADJU/HdPxfpPIN5M/s1600/DSC00131.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oJrJ08UT9ZU/TpLUigiGngI/AAAAAAAADJU/HdPxfpPIN5M/s320/DSC00131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661821370871750146" border="0" /></a>i lost my sophie sept. 26. it has been a tough row to hoe...i miss you soph angel...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-56897913043074668062011-08-16T20:05:00.002-04:002011-08-16T20:12:39.031-04:00trust methe longer i live on this planet, the more it becomes abundantly clear that you cannot escape your past. it sounds cliche` but it is really true. i moved away from my hometown years ago and over the course of the last two months, i have been there more than in the previous 15 years or so...and the shack i called home and thought i had left for good- well, i still will have to deal with it as my parents still own it...
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<br />trust me when i say that you don't do your children a service by leaving them something...all parents want to- whether it be money or property or stuff...do your children a true favor and don't. really. the money is taxable, the property is a hassle to sell and the stuff either collects dust or ends up donated or thrown away...
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<br />believe when i say that your children would be more grateful if you made arrangements for your passing ahead of time and took care of the hows and whats before you pass...use your money for your retirement and probable health care needs so as not to burden them with the debt- really...
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<br />i don't want a single thing that my parents or my husband's parents have- not one. the fact that we have relationships with our parents on whatever level is enough for me...it is not a kindness or a help to your kids to leave them anything...memories- good ones without regrets- are more than enough...
<br />billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-42586729176674437542011-08-06T20:46:00.004-04:002011-08-06T21:12:48.411-04:00greed is god...god is greedi have not been following the 'debt ceiling' debacle with any kind of, well, anything...it surprises me not that any of this has happened because there were many of us years ago seeing the writing on the wall and no one wanted to listen...such is life...<br /><br />i do find it ironic that congress scooted out of town on their vacation without funding the faa...i mean after passing all sorts of bullshit laws making people take off their shoes, be screened through metal detectors and new fangled porn makers- i mean body scanners- and pour all of their shampoo and conditioner into 2 oz bottles- they don't even have the decency to fund the faa...but hey as john mellancamp sings 'ain't that america'?<br /><br />i frequent facebook to play the games over there- i am not one of those who go there simply to connect with the past and look up lost friendships- i actually do the opposite because i figure the folks in my past are there for a reason...if it's one thing i have learned in my 40 years on the planet- you can't go home again...life changes...anyhoo, there are the same types of crap that spread like wildfire that used to on the blogs- the 'post this' and 'post that' chain letter type deals and i post some that are tongue in cheek sometimes...<br /><br />there's one going around now about saying the pledge of allegiance...hang on i'll cut and paste it...good lord, had to look through a lot of posts...<br /><br /><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":1}"><span class="messageBody" ft="{"type":3}">I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!<br /><br />MY GENERATION GREW UP RECITING THIS EVERY MORNING IN SCHOOL WITH MY HAND ON MY HEART. THEY NO LONGER DO THAT FOR FEAR OF OFFENDING SOMEONE!<br /><br />LET'S SEE HOW MANY AMERICANS WILL RE-POST THIS AND NOT CARE ABOUT OFFENDING SOMEBODY</span></h6><br />yeah, here's the thing- i don't recite the pledge and i don't sing the anthem- i don't believe in what my country has become. this isn't about offending anyone- it's about not believing in the sham and show that standing together at sports events while eating a hot dog and guzzling a beer has become. greed and selfishness rules this country- it's the single biggest reason that we are in the shape we are in- from the debt ceiling to the health care crisis- and why should i want to honor that? it goes against everything i was taught that america stands for- and it would be an outright lie for me to 1) pray in church if i had to go and 2) recite the words to the pledge of allegiance and lie.<br /><br />there is no republic of america. we are not one nation and the founding fathers did not put that we were under god- which we aren't. most people in this country don't take the time to understand what those words mean or what they stand for. most americans have never read the constitution beyond the preamble- and certainly don't have any idea what the document says except from right wing media bites...<br /><br />so, no, i won't pledge allegiance to the american flag or to the current incarnation of america herself. i won't sing an anthem that was swiped from a british drinking song- it's ludicrous and the words are about as meaningful as the pledge.<br /><br />we currently have a representative government- oh, folks bitch and complain but the critters in our government are products of our shoddy education system; of our outdated and outmoded belief in meaningless nationalism and religion; and are as selfish and greedy as everyday americans.<br /><br />harsh? every talk to your co-worker or neighbor or family member about giving every american access to basic education and health care as a basic human right? i have. many times. i keep getting the same response from these 'all american christian' folks- we should all pay our own way and if you can't- then you aren't working hard enough and you are probably on welfare...if you apply yourself in school- you can be anything and if you are smart enough you should get scholarships...or don't go...<br /><br />yep. guess that's why so many other countries in the world beat us out with standard of living and longevity. there are many countries on this planet that educate all of their people and give them preventive medicine...and those are the countries that make it to the top tier of worldwide standards of living...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-24814810624639014882011-07-30T22:34:00.002-04:002011-07-30T22:49:48.168-04:00life as usuallife is fairly complex and i have been slapped in the face with that quite frequently lately- although i do constantly remind myself that it's a journey not a destination :) nothing gets simpler as i get older even though it's probably my fondest wish- outside of wanting the human race to grow the fuck up and stop being greedy and killing each other...but that's a horse of a different color...<br /><br />continuing to navigate family and feelings and whatnot as i reluctantly assist my father through convalescence. just when you thought you had made peace with yourself- many of the triggers from your youth come back to bite you in the ass...coupled with the fact that summers are the worst time of year for my mother who has bad heart and lungs...sigh...<br /><br />there is one theme that keeps running through my mind in the wake of my personal crap and the norway murders and the current tea bag fiasco in what is congress in name only- and that is:<br /><br />americans still need to wake up and smell the coffee...<br /><br />look, our house of cards is falling- there are no more band aid fixes or pretending that we are the greatest country on the planet. if you look at<a href="http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2010/november/undp-launches-2010-human-development-report-analysing-long-term-development-trends.en"> the numbers</a>- norway is way better. we pretend that we have the greatest system of government and that our standard of living is the best and that our health care system is the best and education and whatnot... i am here to tell you that it's a load of bullshit that would sink the titanic...<br /><br />navigating the health care system in this country is a fucking nightmare- complicated needlessly because of the endless layers of greedy bastards who want to make a buck on people who need care. everywhere you turn there are layers upon layers of people who make their living off of other people...is it any wonder we are in trouble? the debt debacle is truly representative of this country- how many americans live beyond their means using credit only to default and declare bankruptcy? housing bubble anyone?<br /><br />the long slow slide is over- we are sinking and we will never be able to pull ourselves up as a nation that is anything other than a has been...other countries still look to us economically because we are all entwined but really, our heyday is long past...we are at the crossroads and we have a choice ahead of us<br /><br />1) continue on the same path burying our heads in the sand and pretending with all of our might that life can go on as it always has or<br /><br />2) roll up our sleeves and get dirty and start making some hard choices- not the least of which is rediscovering our roll in this country as the employers of the rat bastards in government. we can no longer afford to 'hire it done'- we are going to have to relearn how to mow our own lawns, paint our own houses and pay as we go...we have to relearn what civics means and the fact that our democracy will only be as good as our involvement makes it be... and we need to relearn what our founding fathers realized- every now and again- we need a revolution...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-52546801088585935792011-07-23T09:00:00.003-04:002011-07-23T09:01:27.133-04:00h/t to dan'l<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwbgFb-JUB8/TirGGKiDk_I/AAAAAAAADIs/n2WHvHf1TcU/s1600/image001.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 209px; height: 236px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwbgFb-JUB8/TirGGKiDk_I/AAAAAAAADIs/n2WHvHf1TcU/s320/image001.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632532093188936690" border="0" /></a>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-58175480765660545042011-06-04T16:18:00.003-04:002011-06-04T16:21:05.739-04:00i am again perplexedi think it must be me- because it irritates the shit out of me that we have memorial day. not because i think that we shouldn't honor folks- but because i continuously hear that we are honoring those who died to keep us free. free from what? with the exception of the civil war and world war 2- the wars america sacrificed lives to were for profit. perhaps we should stop being disingenuous and start saying that we are honoring folks whose lives were thrown away for corporatist greed...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-2354134797892700272011-05-11T19:44:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:42:27.666-04:00something i can get behindwe need to spread the<a href="http://www.truthout.org/tenfold-path-guts-solidarity-and-defeat-corporate-elite/1305062921"> common sense</a> around...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-3478423370882576342011-03-14T20:36:00.002-04:002011-03-14T20:43:13.071-04:00why i blogged for so longto let people in america- and around the world- know that there are those of us who understand what democracy and freedom is supposed to be and who aren't stupid like the right wing morons who hang on newt gingrich's every word and follow palin around like she's a princess... there are those of us who aren't stupid enough to believe in a being that doesn't exist- and even if we did- we wouldn't attempt to convert people who didn't simply to keep our own dysfunctional construct in place...<br /><br />i blogged so that folks would understand that there are americans in this country who screamed at the top of our lungs while our country was taken over and made into a corporatocracy- and would have been on the front lines of any battle waged to take it back... and now, because there wasn't a big enough movement- we have too little too late in the midwest- i get to simply say 'i told you so' without anything even remotely approaching satisfaction...<br /><br />and i give huge hugs to <a href="http://www.truth-out.org/power-concedes-nothing-without-a-demand68454">chris hedges</a> who has a gift that i can only dream of:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"The liberal class is discovering what happens when you tolerate the intolerant. Let hate speech pollute the airways. Let corporations buy up your courts and state and federal legislative bodies. Let the Christian religion be manipulated by charlatans to demonize Muslims, gays and intellectuals, discredit science and become a source of personal enrichment. Let unions wither under corporate assault. Let social services and public education be stripped of funding. Let Wall Street loot the national treasury with impunity. Let sleazy con artists use lies and deception to carry out unethical sting operations on tottering liberal institutions, and you roll out the welcome mat for fascism."<br /><br /></span>he is still out there telling it like it is as if it is going to make a tinker's damn...<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-60921288776737699322011-02-28T19:11:00.002-05:002011-02-28T19:13:41.952-05:00words of truthi hope there are more people listening this go 'round....<br /><br />thank you <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/02/28-0">chris hedges </a>for continuing to speak the truth and to find the truth when we need it...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Our political system is as broken and dysfunctional as that once presided over in Egypt by Hosni Mubarak. We must be willing to accept personal discomfort, to put our bodies in the way of the machine, if we hope to expose the lies of war and blunt the abuse by corporate profiteers."</span>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-81183053842031978842011-02-09T08:09:00.002-05:002011-02-09T08:10:43.063-05:00h/t to dan'l<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1y2JuRkU4_Y/TVKSM1FL4VI/AAAAAAAADII/Eu4mjTaFl2s/s1600/moz-screenshot-1.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1y2JuRkU4_Y/TVKSM1FL4VI/AAAAAAAADII/Eu4mjTaFl2s/s320/moz-screenshot-1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571676438115639634" border="0" /></a>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-100453983864798242011-01-20T08:10:00.000-05:002011-01-20T08:11:07.708-05:00so true...<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix"><div><p>"From that moment on, I was no longer a liberal, a believer in the self-correcting character of American democracy. I was a radical, believing that something fundamental was wrong in this country - not just the existence of poverty amidst great wealth, not just the horrible treatment of black people, but something rotten at the root. The situation required not just a new president or new laws, but an uprooting of the old order, the introduction of a new kind of society - cooperative, peaceful, egalitarian."</p><p> </p><p>-Howard Zinn, from his 1994 memoir, "You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train"</p></div></div>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-28864936621299136242011-01-08T20:11:00.002-05:002011-01-08T20:21:18.034-05:00living in americapeople in america- i should say many people here in america- have their heads in the sand. they aren't interested in politics and they aren't interested in much more than living their lives- going to work, shop, shop, shopping along popping out accessory children and generally jamming their heads up their collective asses. they pretend that america is a democracy and that there are folks on the fringe that do crazy things but will go away. these same people believe that profiling and armed patrols within american borders by our military are ok; these people believe that mistreating large swaths of the planet and within our borders is ok- and they believe that being strip searched physically and electronically in our airports is necessary 'for safety reasons.'<br /><br />look, life isn't 100% foolproof and we all end up with a dirt nap in the end. we can't live forever and we can't take anything with us when we die. in a free society, people take risks to live free. being free means everyone gets to live in freedom- not just certain groups. it means that some of us will be killed or taken advantage of. democracy means power of the people- and if we, the people, of america <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/08/arizona.shooting/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1">allow our fellow citizens</a> to take that from us- then we don't really have a democracy.<br /><br />i have stated this before- the right is at war with the rest of us. they don't rest and they don't give a shit about anything other than their own agenda. sarah palin is taking the rap for the entire tea party but they all believe the same way- they hate the left and don't care a bit about killing us to get what they want. and they won't go away..... they will make us capitulate first... or die... and it's that simple...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-3203578590571385012010-10-28T17:34:00.002-04:002010-10-28T17:46:15.528-04:00lifethe silly season has a way of pulling me in different directions at the same time. i don't follow or pay much attention to politics these days- i view the entire electoral system as irrevocably broken and there's really no sense in participating in what is largely a sham. when more folks realize that the deck is stacked against us and in favor of the ruling class, perhaps we can make some meaningful change in that arena. <br /><br />i don't intend to hold my hand on my ass waiting for that to happen....<br /><br />anyhoo, the world continues to spin on it's axis and my life motors along and i will deal with whatever comes my way and try to live each moment gratefully and meaningfully- and probably fall far short of that.... but i'll try anyway. what i have learned from my short time on the planet is- human nature simply does not change. it doesn't. we have inhabited this planet for a few thousand years now ;) and as far back as we know in what's left of human history- we haven't really evolved.<br /><br />oh, we live in nicer homes and have made life more convenient and pleasant for ourselves- at least in the western world... but the essence of humanity has not changed. i am currently reading 'the iliad' and i watched a 'secrets of the dead' program on pbs last night that detailed the last hours of pompeii and herculaneum when vesuvius erupted in 79 AD- people are people. the same types of petty bickering, the same fearful chaotic panic in a crisis, the same hunger for war and conquest amongst some and the weary desire for peace for the rest... yep.... same.<br /><br />it's lofty to hold the ideal that in 'modern' times humans have evolved into enlightened beings. we haven't. and in fact, our own technology is being used against us by the war mongering power junkies. so, i have largely stayed out of everything. there is no point. the only time i call anyone out at work or in my private life is when they are parroting flat out lies. you cannot change hearts and minds. not in people who are willfully clinging to the past and to a way of life that is comforting to them. it's like their life preserver and they are not going to let go.<br /><br />so, i go to work and come home and play facebook games and crochet and then do it all over again.... and so it goes.....billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-90864961968928894482010-10-24T20:58:00.000-04:002010-10-24T20:59:39.271-04:00h/t to al haug<a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/12641420-a57"><img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/12641420-a57.jpg" border="0" /></a>billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-4251872815798162422010-09-04T16:14:00.002-04:002010-09-04T16:18:01.314-04:00ooh- let me just say that i love discovering van morrison's music. i am working my way through the 1970's right now and i recently bought 'hard nose the highway' and 'veedon fleece'- saint dominic's preview is next on the list :) those particular cds have turned out to be perfect for the transition of summer into autumn. it is really tough to describe listening to each song for the first time and letting the lyrics and music wash over. so- i won't. i'll just encourage folks to listen when they can because the man is a master. he has been since day one. indeed.billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-83063680169475391532010-08-31T08:01:00.002-04:002010-08-31T08:09:13.344-04:00summer winding downi am grateful that we are going into autumn. i don't like wishing my life away, but this summer stunk here in my neck of the northeast. the garden didn't do much of anything and i think my father hit it on the head with there weren't enough bees to pollinate this year. my squash flowered and flowered but i have no squash. anyhoo, the heat and humidity have just sucked the life out of me and many other folks- we are not equipped to deal with it. unlike the south, most of us do not have central air- usually fans and an occasional window unit. not pleasant....<br /><br />americans continue to annoy me with their denial of what is. and what is most disheartening is how mean spirited many are. the obtuse bigotry and stubborn fear of change while clinging to the sinking ship of christianity- well, it is genuinely mind blowing to me. ignorance is ignorance- i don't care if you are white, green or purple. seriously. and the amount of folks who take dubya and caribou barbie seriously and hang on their words- well, that is again, mind blowing to me.<br /><br />i suppose if you are so fear based, you can't and won't see the forest through the trees. i wish that we could simply dismiss these people as the stupids that they are but unfortunately, there are lots and lots of them and they won't go away. sigh. so, winding down my summer, i have yard stuff to finish and my crochet room to ready for the colder weather. if you can't beat 'em, hunker down somewhere and keep safe. it's the best advice i can offer if we aren't willing to smash them down en masse. vive` la revolution!billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-52469120767848646742010-08-25T20:13:00.002-04:002010-08-25T20:18:12.892-04:00online presenceor is it presents? ;) to the couple of folks who have the blog still in their reader... hey thanks :) probably should clean mine up a bit... i have absolutely no enthusiasm nor do i have any illusions about the upcoming elections- this november and beyond. look, the angry white american is scared shitless about everything and is going to vote tea party all the way. translation- bigots and racists and supremacists, oh my!<br /><br />or maybe the right wing mainstream media is simply painting it that way- i mean only 150 folks showed up at our local binghamton tea party rally. but i do know that there seems to be an awful lot of folks who are still thinking we are in the cheney/bush era and think it's ok to force their conservative, christian values of narrow minded hatred down everyone's throat. and the rest of us shrug and yawn and continue about our merry way.....<br /><br />but my buddy dan'l tells me i over generalize- so perhaps i am :) feelin' a bit spicy today....billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-15179510887029966572010-07-16T17:51:00.002-04:002010-07-16T18:00:21.892-04:00gainful employmenti have always been irritated by the question 'so, what do you do?' or 'where do you work?' because i had not been in the workforce for a bit and it implies that i sat around eating bon bons and watching soap operas because i didn't work for someone else. it still irritates me. i suppose it irritates me because i view much work as busy work. there was a time in the not too distant past- around the turn of the last century and even into the middle of the last century- when people took care of themselves. they often worked outside the home in order to make money but they took care of their own homes and food and whatnot. it's what got america through the last great depression. i am not optimistic about this next one...<br /><br />people complain about there not being enough jobs but there are more people than jobs. i mean really- do the math.... too many folks enjoy living like they are independently wealthy and the work they do is simply to make money- some jobs exist only to do that. take my new job for example...<br /><br />office administrator.... sigh....yep.... my tomato plants are not even knee high and i haven't seen a single squash amidst the flowers and the fam's yard is beginning to resemble the amazon rain forest because i haven't been able to mow and weed properly- but damn it! the fed ex goes out before 5:30p and all the files are filed and the mail sorted and whatnot... sigh... and it is a means to more than one end... i am helping my husband and he is happy and the money will be slotted for the stuff we were putting on hold so i can't really complain. if i have to work simply to work like a hamster in a wheel- at least i am doing it for someone i love...<br /><br />so, that's my world for the last couple of weeks... jumping back into the fray while trying to maintain the world i created while out of the fray... will keep everyone posted as i can...billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23768728.post-32054709914209874292010-07-04T17:56:00.002-04:002010-07-04T18:12:34.423-04:00facebook and memany folks join facebook for the oh, socializing aspects of it i suppose- and the ability to find just about anyone you are looking for on the planet. of that, folks should be careful- you might just well find them :) of course, that's what the 'hide' function is for.... but that isn't my point...<br /><br />i have met the nicest strangers while on facebook. i really can't complain. i originally set out to 'friend' all of my blog buddies and for the most part, i was lucky enough to do so. my blog buddies are the ones who encouraged me in my video game addiction- well, one buddy in particular (and bro tim knew who he was :)- and told me to go out and just randomly friend people for the particular game i was playing. lord knows i was short of neighbors then for farmville :)<br /><br />now, a few hundred neighbors and practically the entire zynga nation later, i have to say, you can tell quite a bit about a person by the way they play a game. i have met more generous people lately than i thought existed. folks who give away gifts when they could sell them to add to their electronic coin stash- folks who genuinely connect with each other over the chat waves. <br /><br />it's almost as good as blogging :) almost, because there isn't a forum or the format for any lengthy writing on facebook. it's instant gratification instead of a leisurely stroll. but, at least i can link to my chit chatting over here- so it's all good :)billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206096509976316141noreply@blogger.com4