The World Today...

Lately it seems that the One-Minute Writers writing prompts have been touching on the cynical side of me.  I am a deeply cynical person though I am not a bitter person, I live, love, and laugh a lot.  So the question is is the world a different place than when I was a kid?

Yes I would have to say that it is. I was born in the early 60's and technology is vastly different, views and opinions are vastly different as well.  Some of this was for the better some of it not. That we as a world are more tolerant of other races is much improved and most definitely for the better. That our children are spoiled, lack discipline and are pretty much out of control is a very sad and tragic thing.  Yes I know there are still parents out there that still discipline their children but you are a rarity these days. 

I was spanked as a child and it did not kill me, make me more violent, bitter or hate my parents. I spanked my children and the same with them. They are well rounded have decent jobs families of their own and they spank their children. For those that think it goes against the Bible to spank. God said "Spare the rod, spoil the child" He did not mean that you should spoil your child and not spank them. He disciplines us so why wouldn't he want us to dicsipline our own children? Anyway just look around you and at the backgrounds of a lot of these kids that have shot up schools, and what have you. 

I don't believe it is due to they were picked on in school, or movies, music, or video games. It is due to the fact that they didn't have good discipline, or good morals instilled in them young.  Morals is the thing that tells you that is wrong to do something like that just because you were called a name. 

Drug use I believe is worse now than it ever was in the 60's. Then yes it was pot, LSD, cocaine and bad as that was it is worse now.  Now we have Meth, PCP, and many others to add to the list. 

I hate the way the world has blurred the genders. Now yes it is okay for boys to play with girl toys sometimes and girls to play with boy toys sometimes. However they also need to know what it is to be a boy or girl. They are different as they were intended to be. Boys do not have a feminine side and girls do not have a masculine side. It is no wonder kids grow up confused. I am not knocking gays but girls are girls and boys are boys. 

So has the world changed yes and it will continue to do just that for better or worse. 

Yesterday....

Another prompt from the One-Minute Writer. 

First let me state for the record that Christmas is not my favorite holiday. Now I can hear all of you saying grinch and "Oh why not? It is such a magical holiday."  The truth is it isn't a magical wonderful holiday for everyone. I have no problem with the Christian prospective of the holiday (even though Jesus wasn't born in Dec). However I do have a problem with the rest of the view of Christmas and it disgusts me more every year. 

In most cases these days good will towards men (humans in general) extends no further than those that closest to you (no I am notpointing fingers at anyone in particular). I always hear well if my spouse, child, mother, father, inlaws, etc don't spend this much on me, or buy me this my Christmas will be ruined. I want to grab these people and shake them until they get over themselves.

These people never stop to think that there are children out there that go hungry on Christmas, and there is no tree or gifts or a fat man in a red suit. They never stop to think about the people that lost their jobs right before Christmas and they and their families will have to do without, or about the homeless that are sleeping in abandoned buildings, under bridges, and highway over passes.  Yes I am quite aware no one person can help everyone, but if everyone helped someone then the world would be better for it. 

Instead however the world takes this once giving holiday and turns it into a day of greed and self indulgence. They sing of good will towards men, and turn at the same time a blind eye to those without. Pretending all is well in a world that has not been well for a very long time. 

How did I spend my Christmas? Alone and by choice I refuse to celebrate greed. 

Chicken...

I laughed when I saw the prompt for the One-Minute Writer today.  I use to raise chickens when i lived in Illinois. The above picture is of General one of my bantam roosters he is looking in at his girl Sofie and their brood of 16 babies.  His brother wasn't far away I am sure and they were nearly twins in looks the only difference being their combs. 

I do sometimes miss living on the farm it was quiet and usually easy going. I love chickens they can be fun to watch and then there are the eggs although bantam eggs are pretty small. Chickens aren't the smartest of God's creatures especially hens. Roosters are smarter as they look after the hens and protect them.  Ours free ranged except when the hens were raising a brood then that girl was kept in the coop and pen. 

Herding...Never knew roosters did it until I saw it. Every evening Sofie would not go to the coop when it would start getting dark outside. So General and Sarge herd her into the coop and then stand guard outside the door until it was nearly dark and then they would go in so I could lock the door. 

So the word chicken brings back fond memories. 

Obsessions.....

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This is something that has always intrigued me. How people fall into obsessions be it over another person, or an object or a game whatever.  What triggers this to happen I wonder because I don't think I have ever been obsessed with anything or anyone.  People have obsessed over Elvis for years and years, over the Beatles and I simply just don't get it. They act as though this people are God. 

I have a friend that is totally obsessed with Johnny Depp and yes he is good looking, and he he is a great actor. However he is but a man no better no worse than most other men on this earth.  I can see being impressed with someones acting ability but to obsess over the person to me makes no sense at all. She really knows nothing about him in real life except what she reads and it is debatable how much of that is true. 

I asked her once why she was obsessed with him and she said for his mind. I laughed and it was for two reasons one she doesn't know him so she really doesn't know his mind. Two because it isn't his mand that has her tongue hanging out of her head everytime she sees a picture of him. Her obsession does go even deeper believe it or not. Nearly all of her time on the computer is spent at sites dedicated to him by women (and some men) equally as obsessed as she is. They write fantasy stories about him and degrade the woman in his life. 

The thing is my friend is married. Her husband is good looking and a caring person. Yes he can be rude and abrupt but I have met very few men who aren't. He has a good heart though is a very hard worker and provides well for his family. She talks about Mr Depp as though he has no flaws while pointing out all of her husbands. I have assured her many times that Mr Depp has faults and probably a lot of them as he is after all only human. 

Maybe I am the odd one because I simply cannot see being obsessed over someone I will never meet and could never have. I just really don't get it.

School....

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Well I am now well on my way to becoming a student. I will start my classes in just a couple of weeks. It all seems so unreal at this point.

The lady at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh today asked me if I was nervous. I laughed and told her yes, but what i really meant was I am terrified. I haven't been through the doors of a university since ummmmm about 1993. Well I guess technically I won't be going there as Pittsburgh is a looooong way from here.

It is the whole concept of actually going to school online or otherwise. It is going to be a lot of hard work and dedication. I know I have the ability but 4 or more years is a long time. However I know once I get started the fears will abate. Until then it is nail biting and more nail biting.

Christmas....

I tell people all the time that I hate Christmas. But really when I think about it; it is not the holiday I hate. It is the atittudes of others during that time of the year. I can still remember a time when it was all about others and helping those less fortunate . When people genuinely cared for others not just themselves and those closest too them. 

Now it is all about what am I getting and how much is this or that person speanding on me. It is to hell with those less fortunate let someone else help them. It is amazing how many fall through the cracks every year simply because too many people can't be bothered. 

Now that our country is in the depths of a recession more people than ever will go without this holiday season. While others celebrate the birth of Christ and feel oh so blessed while others go hungry. 

Now I know that no one person can help everyone but each person can help one person and if one person would do just that there would be fewer going without. If you could even spare a little change in the Salvation Army buckets whenever you go to Wal-mart that would be at least something. 

However most won't do even that and a good deal look annoyed to see them even there.  Merry Christmas maybe but for who?

Excess....

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It is funny how people are about the excess things in their lives. They will shove items in the garage, the attic, closets full to the max and they use very little of it. Yet try to get them to give any of it up and they act as though you are trying to steal a load of diamonds from them. 

They go out and buy more and more stuff to take the place of the stuff that they have "stored". My ex husband I swear is hoarder he has a basement nearly full of stuff. He has all the surfaces of every room in his house covered with stuff and will still go to auctions, and yard sales to buy even more. This is with the knowledge that he really has no more room for anything else. 

However if you suggest that he have a yard sale or donate to charity he will become very defensive, and will act as though you are the crazy one. I always use to tell him that if you haven't used something in a year then you will never use it again. This rule holds out more than it doesn't. He has things he hasn't seen in over seven years and yat he will tell you that he might need it sometime. 

Does this only occur here in the US, or is it a problem everywhere?

The IRS....

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Finally they decide to send me my tax transcripts that I need to apply for my FAFSA so I can start school in Jan. They wouldn't fax them to the university, they wouldn't e-mail them too me. Yet they will send them through the US postal service. 

They said they are afraid of identity theft. I mean seriously it is not like mail hasn't gotten lost or stolen. Someone wanting to commit identity theft sees this letter marked IRS what an easy way to get it. No hacking involved just open an envelope and there everything is in black and white. No leaving foot prints because it is much easier to destroy a piece of paper. 

Yup makes perfect sense to me.....idiots.