THOUGHTS AT THREE A.M.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS 2/28/05

areal display, music, and sweet nothings

1. A RED SUNSET, WITH A RAINBOW, THAT  DWINDLES INTO

PURPLE.

2. EVENING BIRD CALLS, THAT SING ALL NIGHT.

3. STROLLING DOWN A FOGGY STREET WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE,

HAND IN HAND, SHARING SECRETS, IN WHISPERS...

OUI?

THE OSCARS

WELL, BY NOW I AM SURE THAT ALL OF YOU THAT CARE ABOUT

SUCH  THINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY GLUTTED WITH THE SPECTACLE

AND  PAGEANTRY  OF THE ACADEMY AWARDS SHOW TONIGHT.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TUNED IN FOR THE PARADE ON THE RED

CARPET, AND WERE HELD  SPELLBOUND BY EVERY WORD THAT

TRIPPED OFF THE CELEB'S TONGUES, AND OOHED AND AHHED

OVER THEIR EXPENSIVE, GLAMOROUS, AND NO DOUBT

REVEALING CLOTHES, I AM CERTAIN NONE OF THE "BEAUTIFUL

PEOPLE" LET YOU DOWN.

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD.

WHOOPI DING.

AS FOR ME, MYSELF, PERSONALLY, AS THE CHESHIRE CAT SAID,

I PREFER THE SHORT CUT.

I AM SURE IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS I SHALL BE ADEQUATELY

FILLED IN ON ALL THE GOINGS ON, AND WHO WON, AND WHO

DESERVED IT AND DIDN'T GET IT, AND EXACTLY WHICH MOVIES

WILL NOW BE ABLE TO ADD, "ACADEMY AWARD WINNER" TO

THEIR ADS. AND OF COURSE ALL THE FLUBS, BLOOPERS, AND

STUPIDITIES THAT OCCURRED ON STAGE, AND OFF.

AND IN THEIR ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES WHO CRIED, AND WHO

DIDN'T, AND WHO THANKED GOD...

IF YOU STILL CARE ABOUT SUCH THINGS, I AM CONFIDENT

THE LIGHTING WAS WONDERFUL, THE MUSIC WAS BEAUTIFUL,

AND THAT MOST EVERYONE WAS DRESSED TO THE NINES,

OR AT LEAST MAJOR PARTS OF THEIR BODIES WERE

COVERED. BUT THEN, AGAIN, MAYBE NOT.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE MAIN REASON I AM EVEN WRITING

THIS BLOG.

THE USUAL STANDARDS OF THE NETWORKS HAVE FALLEN SO

LOW, THAT I HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN WITNESSING THAT

PRANCING OF THE FLESH, OR HEARING WHAT IS SURE TO BE

A BLEEPING COLLECTION OF WORDS AND PHRASES THAT MAKE

ME CRINGE.

I HAVE OFTEN WITNESSED PREVIOUS SHOWS,AND IF THIS

YEARS OFFERING WAS EVEN REMOTELY SIMILAR TO THAT

WHICH I HAVE ALREADY SEEN, I DECIDED NOT TO GO DOWN

THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE. I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD ENOUGH

FILTH TO  LAST ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

SO, I SHALL BE WATCHING MY OLD TIME MOVIES,AND DVDS

OF GOOD CLEAN TELEVISION SHOWS, AND TURNING OFF

THE NEW JUNK.

THE DREADED BLANK PAGE!

I'VE HEARD ABOUT IT SINCE I WAS LITTLE, PLAYING WITH MY

FIRST TYPEWRITER...HOW I LOVED THAT TOY! BUT MORE ABOUT

THAT LATER.

RIGHT NOW, IT IS THE HORRIFYING BLANK PAGE THAT I HAVE

READ ABOUT, AND HEARD OF SPOKEN IN DISMAYED,WHISPERED,

OR SHOUTED TONES THAT IS ON MY MIND.

MY MOTHER WROTE POETRY, AND SHE WAS A BIG INSPIRATION

TO ME,(HENCE, THE TOY TYPEWRITER) BUT SHE WAS AS I AM..

FAR FROM BEING DAUNTED BY THE BLANK PAGE, SHE WAS, AS

I SAID BEFORE, I AM, SUDDENLY INSPIRED, WOULD RUSH TO

HER NOTE PAD, OR TYPEWRITER, IN THE MIDDLE OF DINNER,

OR THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ANXIOUS TO GET IT DOWN

AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. ART, AS THEY SAY, COMES

FROM SOMEWHERE. WHETHER YOUR TALKING PAINTING,

(WE DO THAT TOO) OR POETRY, OR STRAIGHT WRITING.

YOU GET AN IDEA, AND THEN, BIT BY BIT, IT GOES. ONCE IT IS

GONE, IT'S GONE.

SO, THE BLANK PAGE HOLDS NO FEAR FOR ME, IT IS ONLY AN

OPPORTUNITY .

PERHAPS IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT, IF I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE

BOX AFTER BOX OF BOOK ALREADY WRITTEN. I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE, IF I WERE BETTER AT SELLING MY IDEAS BEFORE I

WROTE THEM, AND HAD A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION....

THEN THAT PAGE WITH NOTHING ON IT MIGHT FRIGHTEN

ME INTO FREEZING UP. THAT MIGHT DO IT.BUT, ART OF ANY

STRIPE SHOULDN'T HAVE A PRICE TAG ON IT WHILE IT IS BEING

COMPOSED. IT PREVENTS THE FLOW OF CREATIVE JUICES TO

WORRY ABOUT TIME...AND QUALITY. BEAUTY AND COLOR

ARE STAUNCHED WHEN ONE MUST STOP RELATING IMAGES

IN ORDER TO STAY INSIDE SOME SUPERIMPOSED GUIDELINES.

ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS TO WORK FOR SOME, I HAVE ALWAYS

STAYED AS FAR AWAY FROM "DEADLINES" AS I COULD.

I LOVE TO WRITE. BUT, AS SOON AS IT BECOMES "WORK"

IT'S NO FUN ANYMORE, AND THE JUICES BEGIN TO DRY UP.

OFTEN I HAVE BEEN OFFERED JOBS, WITH FORMULAS TO

FOLLOW, AND HAVE TURNED THEM DOWN, KNOWING THIS

QUIRK ABOUT MYSELF. I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE WHO

CAN FUNCTION BEAUTIFULLY UNDER THESE RESTRAINTS,

AND I WISH THEM WELL.

BUT I HAVE TO BE A FREE SPIRIT.

I MUST REMAIN THAT LITTLE KID, WITH THE TOY TYPEWRITER,

WITH ALL THE ALPHABETIC CHARACTERS ON THAT LITTLE

INKED WHEEL, PLAYING WITH WORDS, CREATING SUNSETS

AND LOVE SCENES, AND DRAMATIC MOMENTS, ONE LETTER

AT A TIME. I REMEMBER YOU HAD TO PUSH THOSE PLASTIC

KEYS SO HARD TO GET AN IMPRESSION ON THE PAPER, THAT

BY THE TIME I HAD FINISHED HALF A PAGE, MY FINGERS HURT.

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP ME.

HAVING TO USE A ROYAL MANUAL DIDN'T STOP ME.

HAVING TO SNEAK IN A FEW PAGES LATE AT NIGHT AFTER

THE JOB AND THE CHILD CARE, AND THE HOUSEWORK DIDN'T

STOP ME.

HAVING MY LOCKED DESK WITH THE MANUSCRIPT AND

CONTRACT IN THE DRAWER STOLEN, DIDN'T STOP ME.

HAVING MY UNDERWOOD SCRIPTOR BREAK DOWN AND SIT

IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR TWO MONTHS, TWICE, DIDN'T STOP ME.

AND NO BLANK PAGE IS GOING TO STOP ME,EITHER!

I CAN'T HELP IT.

I MUST WRITE!

OUI?

DRIFTING AND DREAMING: EVER GET CAUGHT DAY DREAMING?

I CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE COME BACK TO

REALITY, ONLY TO REALIZE THAT THE BOOK I HAD BEEN

READING WAS FACE DOWN IN MY LAP, OR NEXT TO ME ON THE

BED, OR THE MUSIC OR THE PROGRAM I HAD BEEN LISTENING

TO OR WATCHING HAD FINISHED, OR GONE TO COMMERCIAL, AND

I HAD TOTALLY LOST TRACK OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

OR, WORSE,  I HAD COMPLETELY ZONED OUT ON THE

CONVERSATION IN WHICH I HAD BEEN INVOLVED.

HOW EMBARRASSING! THIS LAST, IS DEFINITELY, THE WORST.

NOBODY CARES IF YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ALONE DRIFTING

AND DREAMING ON YOUR OWN BED. EXCEPT, PERHAPS, MOLLY

MY CAT. SHE HAS DEVELOPED AN INTENSE DISLIKE FOR MY

BOOKS, TO THE POINT THAT SHE ATTACKS THEM, AND CHEWS ON

THEM LIKE A DOG. LUCKILY FOR ME, AND THE LIBRARY, THAT

MOLLY HAS A TINY LITTLE MOUTH, WITH TINY LITTLE TEETH,

AND SHE ONLY PUTS TINY PUNCTURE MARKS IN ONE OR TWO

PAGES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE, WHICH SHE HAD ALL

AFTERNOON TO WORK ON ONE DAY,AND RIPPED MOUTHFULS

OF CORNERS OUT, AND THEN SPRINKLED THEM AROUND ON

MY FAVORITE BLUE COMFORTER. FROM THE STORIES I HAVE

HEARD FROM OTHER CAT OWNERS, I AM MOST GRATEFUL

THAT HER DISPLEASURE WITH ME DIDN'T GO ANY FURTHER

THAN TRYING TO DESTROY MY BOOKS.

QUITE HONESTLY, IT IS RATHER PLEASANT TO "COME TO"

AFTER A MENTAL STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE, AND SEE

THAT SEVERAL MINUTES TO AN HOUR HAS GONE BY WHILE

ONE HAS BEEN DRIFTING AND DREAMING, BUT,OH, HOW I HATE

TO GET CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

YOU GET THIS SMIRK, WHEN YOU BECOME AWARE THAT YOU'VE

BEEN GAZING VACANTLY AT NOTHING. A LOOK ACCOMPANIED

BY TEASING..

"EARTH TO FEATHER HEAD,COME BACK!"

THEN, NATURALLY, I AM FORCED TO PUT UP THIS INANE

DEFENSE, SUCH AS,

" I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING

ABOUT..BLABBLE,BLABBLE,BLABBLE..." JUST SO THEY DON'T

FEEL INSULTED, LIKE I THINK THEY ARE BORING OR SOMETHING

EQUALLY HURTFUL TO THEIR FEELINGS.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T HELP IT.

YOU HEAR A WORD, OR PHRASE, OR BIT OF TUNE THAT CATCHES

YOU UP AND WHISKS YOU AWAY WILLY-NILLY,AND JUST

THAT QUICK, YOUR GONE. EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS

TUNED OUT,AND FLIGHT OF FANCY TAKES OVER.

WHAT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND, IS WHY ANYONE WOULD FEEL

HURT OVER A COMPANION DAY-DREAMING, UNLESS THEY

HAVE NEVER DONE IT THEMSELVES.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR AN EVEN SEMI-INTELLIGENT PERSON

TO HAVE NEVER DAY DREAMED?

WHAT DO YOU THINK, DEAR READER? AM I JUST BEING RUDE,

OR HAVE YOU DONE THIS, UNINTENTIONALLY, TOO?

GIVE ME A COMMENT, OR SEND ME AN EMAIL, BECAUSE

SUDDENLY THIS IS AN ISSUE. YOU CAN HELP TO SETTLE A

DISPUTE, WITH YOUR INPUT.

THANKS, EVER SO..... 

OUI?

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Pensive, thoughtful, and sweet

1. A CLOUDBURST WHEN YOU'RE REALLY IN THE MOOD TO

STAY HOME AND WATCH IT RAIN.

2.SOMEONE THOUGHTFULLY REFRESHES YOUR FRUIT BOWL

BEFORE THE CURRENT ONE IS DOWN TO SOUR APPLES AND

SHRIVELED ORANGES.

3. RECEIVING A GIFT BECAUSE-" I SAW THIS, AND I THOUGHT

OF YOU!"

OUI?

COMING HOME

YOU KNOW, IT IS LITTLE WONDER THAT SO MANY

RELATIONSHIPS SUFFER  THESE DAYS. SO FEW OF US REALLY

KNOW HOW TO LIVE RIGHT. NO, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT

DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, NECESSARILY. ALTHOUGH,

TAKING CARE OF FIRST THINGS FIRST HAS SORT OF GONE

BY THE WAYSIDE.

FOR EXAMPLE. YOUNG ADULTS SEEM TO HAVE NO COMPUNCTION

ABOUT SPENDING MONEY ON NONSENSE, AND NOT HAVING

ENOUGH LEFT OVER FOR THE RENT, THE UTILITIES, AND

GROCERIES AND OTHER BILLS THAT SHOULD COME FIRST,

BEFORE THEY BUY THAT NEW GAME SYSTEM, OR PLASMA

T.V., AND IT'S A SHAME. THEY ARE SETTING THEMSELVES UP

FOR DIFFICULTIES THAT HAVE NO REASON TO EXIST,BUT FOR

THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NO SALES RESISTANCE, AND NO

VISION FOR THE FUTURE, AND IT ALL STARTS, BECAUSE THEY

THINK THAT NEW TOY IS GOING TO MAKE THEM HAPPY.

HAPPINESS. THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. I WOULD BE

HAPPY IF I HAD THIS OR THAT, AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND

GET IT, AND ONCE THE NOVELTY WEARS OFF, THEN REALITY

SETS IN, AND THEY COME UP SHORT FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED

NECESSITIES. THEN THEY MUST SCRAMBLE TO COVER THIS

MONTHS BILLS, AND IN THE PROCESS, PUT THEMSELVES

EVEN FURTHER INTO DEBT. NO MATTER HOW THEY TWIST

SCHEME, OR JUGGLE, NEXT MONTH, THEY WILL HAVE THAT

TO PAY BACK, AS WELL AS THE USUAL BILLS, AGAIN. 

IT'S LIKE THE RED QUEEN SAID TO ALICE:

"IT TAKES ALL THE RUNNING YOU CAN DO JUST TO STAY IN THE SAME

PLACE. IN ORDER TO GET ANYWHERE, YOU HAVE TO RUN TWICE AS

FAST."

AND IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.

SEE, SOMEHOW, THEY MISSED THE POINT. THAT HAPPINESS

IS NOT PURCHASED WITH MONEY. IT DOES NOT COME WITH

THINGS. LIFE CONSISTS NOT IN THE ABUNDANCE OF

THINGS THAT ONE POSSESSES, BUT IN PEACE OF MIND,

INNER TRANQUILITY, AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR

RESPONSIBILITY OF MEETING THEIR NEEDS, AND FULFILLING

THEIR OBLIGATIONS IS DONE, IN A TIMELY MANNER.

STRANGELY ENOUGH, I ASSERT, THIS WHOLE PROCESS BEGINS

WITH TAKING CARE OF ONES OWN NEEDS.

CASE IN POINT:

AFTER FINALLY COMING HOME, I TOOK SOME TIME FOR MYSELF.

I SLEPT. WHEN I FINALLY STUMBLED OUT OF MY COMA, I FELT

ROUGH. EVEN THOUGH I WASHED UP WHILE I WAS GONE,

I JUST DIDN'T FEEL CLEAN UNTIL I HAD A NICE LONG BATH, WITH

BUBBLES, SHAMPOOED MY HAIR, SCRUBBED EVERY INCH, AND

SOAKED FOR A WHILE. I ESCHEWED THE RAUCOUS TELEVISION,

AND INSTEAD HAD SOME CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING. WHEN I

EXITED FROM THE BIRDBATH ,I HAD A VIGOROUS RUBDOWN

WITH A BIG TOWEL, WRAPPED MY HAIR IN A NICE THIRSTY

TOWEL, AND SET ABOUT TO PREEN AT MY LEISURE.

I PUT EXTRA CONDITIONING GLOP ON MY HEAD,AND WENT

SO FAR AS TO RE-RINSE MY HEAD IN THE SINK, JUST TO MAKE

SURE THAT MY HAIR WAS RINSED IN CLEAN WATER, NOT

BATH WATER. I CLEANED MY FACE WITH A FACIAL CLEANSER,

DEVOID OF SOAP, AND USED A COOL CLOTH TO RINSE IT WITH.

I CLIPPED FINGER NAILS AND TOE NAILS CAREFULLY, AND

THEN MOISTURIZED EVERYTHING. I TOWEL DRIED MY HAIR,

AND THEN LET IT AIR DRY, AND PUT ON A CLEAN OUTFIT.

I TOOK MY TIME, AND ENJOYED THE RITUAL, BECAUSE SOME

TIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THAT. THIS WAS NOT A SLAP-

DASH AFFAIR.THERE WAS NO RUSHING ABOUT, NO HURRY.

I COULD FEEL THE CARES OF THE TRIP AND EVERY DAY

WORRIES DRIFTING AWAY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME.

THAT TIME WAS OF CONSEQUENCE, BECAUSE IT MADE MY

HOMECOMING PERFECT. I COULD LOOK ABOUT  AND

APPRECIATE MY ABODE, FEEL RELAXED AND EXHILARATED,

AT THE SAME TIME.

I KNOW. YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT ALL OF THAT HAS TO

DO WITH RELATIONSHIPS. ONLY EVERYTHING.AFTER SUCH

A CALMING TIME, CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEONE BEING ON

EDGE, SNIPPY OR CARPING? NO? ME EITHER.AFTER THAT,

ONE FEELS EASY GOING, CLEAN, COOL, COMFORTABLE,

NOT ICKY-STICKY SWEATY OR NERVOUS.

DID I FORGET TO MENTION, THAT I DO THIS, NO MATTER

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN THE HOUSE? REGARDLESS OF

WHATEVER TURMOIL IS GOING ON, UNLESS IT IS A TRUE

EMERGENCY, BATH-TIME WILL CENTER ME, AND I CAN

HANDLE ANYTHING THEN. A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION IS

JUST THAT, NOT WORLD WAR THREE. I CAN REMEMBER TO

FIGHT FAIR, WITHOUT BACK BITING OR NAME CALLING.

IF I FEEL MYSELF STARTING TO LOOSE MY TEMPER, I CAN

WARN...GET OUT OF MY SIGHT FOR A WHILE, SO I CAN COOL

DOWN. AND, WHEN IT IS ALL OVER,IT'S OVER. NO

RECRIMINATIONS,AND I CAN STILL SAY, I LOVE YOU.

SO, YOU SEE, IT WAS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AFTER ALL.

YOU CAN'T FEEL THAT SERENE WHEN YOUR NEARLY WORRIED

OUT OF YOUR MIND ABOUT MONEY, OR BILLS, OR WHETHER

YOUR GOING TO BE EVICTED, OR WHERE YOUR NEXT MEAL

IS COMING FROM. YOU WOULD BE FRANTIC. UNDER THOSE

CONDITIONS, THE SUGGESTION THAT A PERSON SHOULD

BE CALM WOULD CAUSE THEM TO LAUGH IN YOUR FACE.

I KNOW I WOULD.

WOULDN'T YOU?

3 BEAUTIFUL THINGS

1. COMING HOME TO A CLEAN HOUSE,

KNOWING THERE'S A CROCK POT FULL OF CHILI WAITING,

AND SETTLING BACK AFTER A BUSY DAY WITH A FROSTY DIET-COLA

IN ONE HAND, AND A NEW LIBRARY BOOK IN THE OTHER.

2. HEARING,"LUCY! I'M HOME, AND I'VE GOT A NEW MOVIE FOR US!"

3. SEEING A GROWN CHILD DOTING OVER THEIR DISABLED MOTHER,

SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY LOVE HER AND THEY WANT TO...

SNL-FIRST FIVE YEARS

IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THE PROGRAM ON SUNDAY NIGHT, YOU

MISSED OUT ON A GOOD ONE. I HAVE WATCHED SNL EVER SINCE

THE BEGINNING, AND I THOUGHT THEY DID A WONDERFUL

JOB OF NOT ONLY TOUCHING ON SOME OF THE MOST

MEMORABLE SCENES AND PERSONALITIES, BUT ALSO

GAVE US SOME REAL INSIGHT INTO THE BACKSTAGE ANTICS.

I MUST ADMIT, HOWEVER, THAT I LOOKED FORWARD TO THIS

SHOW WITH A MEASURE OF TREPIDATION. I WASN'T SO SURE

I WANTED TO SET UP THE VCR AND TAPE IT, FOR FEAR THEY

WOULD PRESENT SOME OF THE LESS ILLUSTRIOUS MUSICAL

GUESTS. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT NO MATTER

HOW CLEVER AND AMUSING THE SKITS ARE, BY AND LARGE,

THE MUSICAL GUESTS SUCKED. MY OPINION, THE ONLY ONE

I AM QUALIFIED TO GIVE. I GRANT YOU, THERE HAVE BEEN

SOME STELLAR EXCEPTIONS. BOB DYLAN, THE ROLLING STONES,

BRITANY SPEARS, CHRISTINA AGULARIA,AND PERHAPS A

HANDFUL IN BETWEEN. LIKE I SAY, NOT MANY.

BUT THE BACKSTAGE STORY CAUGHT ME COMPLETELY OFF

GUARD, BECAUSE FROM THE WAY THE PROGRAM PRESENTED

ITSELF, I HAD ALREADY IMAGINED IT TO BE THAT WAY

BEHIND THE SCENES. TRUTHFULLY, WHAT STARTLED ME

WAS HOW ACCURATE MY IMAGINATION WAS TO THE REAL

THING.

LOVE AFFAIRS. SMOKE FILLED ROOMS,(AND NOT WITH CIGAR

SMOKE EITHER) SITAR MUSIC, INCENSE...

LISTEN. IF YOU LIKE SNL, AND YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE

AN ENCORE SHOWING, BY ALL MEANS, DO IT.

IT WAS QUITE A SHOW.

OUI?

DANGER!

When we talk about danger, we usually think of something real,

obvious, and physical. That is what makes the times we are living in

so threatening. If you pay attention to the media, you have warnings

coming at you from all directions, about food, medications, illnesses,

almost everything you purchase or want to purchase, people and

places. It gets to be a bit bewildering. Add to that the double

headache with the responsibility of a home and family, especially

children. But all these considerations dwindle into near invisibility

when you add the fun new variable of "terrorist" attacks dropped

into the equation. Now we can see our own neighborhood under

attack in our imaginations. And for some of us, we already have,

FOR REAL.

And yet, the warnings keep right on coming. violent video games.

and of course, the Internet. Scams,spams.pop-up ads, sexual

predators...do we detect a little overkill going on here?

And, where does all this lovely caring and sharing come from?

What is it's source? Why, the friendly little t.v., of course.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am the first one to want to know

such vital information, but it is increasingly unreliable.

So. How do we get the important news, without subjecting ourselves

to so much frightening information that we end up in a corner,

staring fixedly and gnawing our fingernails down to nubbins?

SLOW DOWN. Relax. Think. Watch and listen carefully with your

family, and then, you decide, together, how to handle the information

that you have been given.

Unlike animals, who were only given instinct and reflex/ reactive

learning capabilities, man has the ability to reason. Most of us

know the difference between right and wrong, and this too, is the

gift only man possesses. Animals can only learn this through what

training they receive...(yes, well, some say that man is the same

way, but we have a generally accepted standard applicable to all,

where Lassie only knew the right and wrong that Rudd Weatherwax

instilled in her/him.) While I'm on the subject of dogs,a new fright-

ful phenomenon has reared it's ugly head. Dog attacks. In fact,

in our area, there've been so many severe attacks lately, that

the authorities are considering banning certain breeds of dogs.

Such as pit bulls.For a very long time, I was on the fence about this

issue, because, being a dog lover and breeder and raiser of several

lovely dogs, I felt, as most  dog lovers do, that the breed of an

animal was not the problem, but the way it was raised and trained

determined whether it would turn out to be a good social animal,

or a vicious one. Then,a situation occurred that I did not set up...

a sweet couple friends of  ours came to the house with two puppies.

One was a black lab, and the other was their new pit bull. Both

these dogs were the same age, and about the same size. The lab

was a gift to us,and we loved him.The pit bull they named "A"

and the lab we called"B". Every week-end we would get together,

and visit, party or whatever, and "A" and"B" were right there with us.

We watched them play together, and laughed at their antics,and

corrected them the same. Those two dogs grew up with each other

as pals and playfellows, and we were pretty comfortable in the

assumption that they would remain so. As it happens, once they

reached maturity, then we noticed that "A" was being far too

rough with "B" and finally, we had to put a stop to our friends

bringing "A" over.   Sadly, that was pretty much the end of the

friendship all the way around.Both dogs were accustomed to

going almost everywhere with the families. The old, "Love me,

love my dog" philosophy kicked in.And I was knocked off that

fence I had been on all those years. I was saddened, disappointed,

and very surprised at the turn of events. Apart from being one

of the ugliest dogs on the face of the planet, "A" had been a sweet

puppy, with a darling personality. I loved him almost as much as

I loved "B". But, when they grew to adulthood, "B" stayed sweet,

and "A" turned mean and nasty, and untrustworthy. With my own

eyes I saw him turn on his own mistress one day,and she had to shut

him out in the yard until her husband came home, she was so

frightened of him. So much for my theories.

But, it proves that animal instinct, and human reason are

diametrically opposed. No one could "reason" "A" out of his nasty

behavior,because he did not possess the power to think.

push button a, get response a.

Man, on the other hand, can take in information, process it, and

reach a solution, set aside his instinctual response,and in a sense,

override it,in favor of the right thing. But, I digress.

The point being, when you or your family have reached a point

of saturation of information, it would be wise to turn off the

television for a while. Read a book. Have a conversation, or

cook a meal together. Give all that Grey matter a while to rest

from the constant bombardment of the ideas of the outside world

coming at you in that steady stream of propaganda, meant to

cause you to think their way, create feelings of nervousness, stress,

and worry about things you cannot change.

I can guarantee that you will come back refreshed, especially if you

spend some time in the prayer closet,or in THE WORD. Preferably,

both. Spend some time without the garbage. You know what they say,

garbage in, garbage out.

If all you put in your mind is junk, that is all that will come out

of your mouth.

BE YE THEREFORE TRANSFORMED, BY THE RENEWING OF

YOUR MIND....

OUI?

"MEDIUM"

THE ONLY THING YOU CAN COUNT ON, IS CHANGE. ISN'T THAT

WHAT THE BUZZ WORD HAS BEEN LATELY? WELL, IT IS

CERTAINLY TRUE IN MY CASE. THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT

UPHEAVAL IN OUR WORLD, OUR LIVES, AND IN OUR PERCEPTION

OF WHAT  CAN BE RELIED UPON, AND WHAT CAN NOT.

ANY NUMBER OF MY ELDERLY ACQUAINTANCES FEAR THE

CHANGES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE, AND I DON'T THINK

THAT TREPIDATION IS LIMITED  TO THEM ONLY. I HAVE

SEEN YOUNGSTERS WALKING AROUND WITH ANXIOUS

LOOKS, AND NORMALLY CAPABLE ADULTS IN THEIR

PRIME, WHO FOR NO OBVIOUS REASON, WORRY ABOUT

THE MOST INSIGNIFICANT DETAILS.

IT IS A SHAME. FOR FEAR OF WHAT MIGHT BE,MANY OF

ALL AGE GROUPS HAVE FORGOTTEN TO ENJOY LIFE NOW...

THE PROGNOSTICATORS,AND THE SOOTHSAYERS HAVE

NOW COME TO THE FOREFRONT, PROCLAIMING DOOM AND

GLOOM, AND UNLIKE EVER BEFORE, PEOPLE ARE LISTENING

TO THEM. THIS IS AN OPEN SECRET, BUT THESE MEDIUMS AND

PALM READERS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE BEGINNING

OF CIVILIZATION. SOME FEW HAVE BEEN GENUINE.

OTHERS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OTHERS, ARE FAKES.

THEY USED TO PREY ON THE IMPRESSIONABLE AND THE

INSECURE, WHOSE VERY FOUNDATION OF THEIR EXISTENCE

HAD BEEN SHAKEN TO THE CORE. RICH WIDOWS, ANXIOUS

FOR DIRECTION, WEALTHY MEN GOING THROUGH MID-LIFE

CRISIS...THESE WERE THE TARGETS.

BUT,EVER SINCE THINGS BEGAN TO SHIFT, THE AUDIENCE

OF  VULNERABLE "TRUTH" SEEKERS HAS MULTIPLIED.

WHY? HOW? CERTAINLY, OUR FUTURES ARE NO MORE

ENDANGERED, NOR MORE SURE THAN BEFORE, BUT THE

SUGGESTION THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS MIGHT BE

SOMEHOW ENDOWED WITH A GREATER SIGHT INTO THE

KNOWLEDGE OF THINGS TO COME, HAS BEEN HEIGHTENED,

AND EVEN PROMOTED LATELY, IN MOVIES, AND

UNFORTUNATELY , ON TELEVISION.

I CAN SIGHT AT LEAST ONE NEW SHOW, ON NETWORK

T.V. THAT SEEMS TO ENDORSE THE POSSIBILITY THAT

SUCH GIFTS EXIST.

I DO NOT SAY THEY DO NOT.

I MYSELF HAVE HAD MY MOMENTS OF WHAT I WOULD TERM,

WARNINGS. INCIDENTS OF PRECOGNITION THAT TOLD ME

CERTAIN VALUABLE THINGS. HAD I IGNORED MY INSTINCTS,

THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING.

BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THOSE INSTANCES EVERY DAY. I WASN'T

HAVING DREAMS EVERY TIME I CLOSED MY EYES,AND I

CERTAINLY WOULD NEVER, EVER, OFFER MY SERVICES TO

A LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP TO SOLVE CASES. SUCH GIFTS

COME FROM GOD, AND HE DOESN'T GIVE THEM TO BE

SQUANDERED, MADE LIGHT OF, OR USED TO MAKE MONEY,

OR TO BE BLURTED OUT IN COURTROOMS, OR SPLASHED

ALL OVER THE MEDIA FOR SENSATIONALISM.

NOW, I MUST DIGRESS. I AM NOT SAYING THAT THE PRODUCERS

OF THIS SHOW ARE DOING ANYTHING WRONG OR TRYING

TO SUBVERT SOCIETY. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THEY FOUND

A CLEVER, CUNNINGLY WRITTEN SCRIPT COMBINING THE

PUBLIC'S INTEREST IN COP SHOWS AND SPIRITUALISM THAT

WORKS, AND KNEW THEY HAD A FRESH NEW TWIST ON A

COUPLE OF OLD THEMES. I'LL EVEN GO A STEP FURTHER,

SO FAR AS TO ADMIT THAT I FOUND IT ENLIGHTENING AND

VERY AMUSING...UNTIL I WATCHED AN EPISODE THAT

STEPPED OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS. A POINT BEYOND WHICH

I COULD NOT SUSPEND MY DISBELIEF,WHICH CAUSED ME

TO TAKE A STEP BACK, AND SAY TO MYSELF, JUST WHAT IS

THIS PROGRAM TRYING TO SAY TO THE AUDIENCE?

ON THE SURFACE, THIS IS HARMLESS FUN. BUT, GOING DEEPER

INTO THE ACTUAL PREMISE, THE MESSAGE IS, YOU DEAR

READER, (OR WATCHER) CAN FIND A PERSON LIKE THIS, AND

WHEN YOU DO, LISTEN AND BELIEVE EVERYTHING THEY SAY.

YOU CAN DEPEND ON THIS KIND OF PERSON.

THIS SHOULD SPARK SOME THOUGHT IN YOU.

THERE IS NO ONE ON EARTH WE ARE TO DEPEND ON SUCH

AS THIS WOMAN. NO ONE. WE ARE TO PUT OUR TRUST IN GOD.

NO OTHER ENTITY, NO OTHER PERSON SHOULD ENGENDER

THIS KIND OF FAITH.

SPIRITUALISM IS BECOMING RAMPANT LATELY, AND THIS

PROGRAM IS FOLLOWING RIGHT ALONG WITH THAT IDEA.

DON'T FORGET, NOT ALL SPIRITUALISM IS GOOD.

THERE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT,AND THEN THERE IS HIS ENEMY.

MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR FAITH IN THE HOLY KIND, ONLY.

OTHERWISE, YOU WILL BE LED DOWN THE PATH TO

DESTRUCTION.

WE WILL CONTINUE THIS EXAMINATION OF THE POWER OF

TELEVISION, AFTER I HAVE HAD A NAP. MY EYES ARE GETTING

BLEARY....

OUI?