Attic rat

I have become an attic rat the past couple of days. I have a renewed appreciation for people who make their living working in attics; my air-conditioning man for example.

I have run up and down the ladder a million times. It is a good test of anger and patience to get way back in the attic and then realize you need somethig back on the ground.

My attic is pretty accessible in the middle, but venture out to the sides and the pitch of the room makes the space quite cramped. I have bumped my head more times than I can count, because it is a lot, and because I think I have a con - con - con - concussion.

I have inhaled dust and whatever is in the old insulation up there. I have given my sweat glands a good working out, and my knees are raw from crawling around. In spite all of this; I'm still not done with my projects. I am close, but not done.

All the cables are run and at their locations, but I still need to tie some electrical wire in to create another receptacle.

There is a lot of satisfaction in doing things yourself. I like the end result of course, but I also like the challenge. Of course when the job is complete, I have stories to tell the other men around the village campfire.

At least the bedroom project is finished. Hopefully the other stuff will be completed by this weekend.

Very exciting stuff.

Until the next time
John Strain

Happy Birthday America

Click the link above for a tribute to America

Until the next time and God bless America
John Strain

Things to do today

• Run 10 miles (in the rain).
• Walk Bear dog.
• Go to Slidell and pick up the component shelf at Circuit City.
• Mount my new LCD TV on the bedroom wall.
• Mount the shelf I bought with it.
• Move the DirecTV box into the bedroom from the living room. Lots of wire stringing and splicing involved here.

I like a project. A few months back I talked about the cable company calling me up trying to strong arm me into paying for all the channels I was getting from them.

I am only paying for the most basic plan because it is a backup for my DirecTV. They would call up and ask if I got channel 30; just want to make sure your reception is OK.

When I told them I did get channel 30 and it was coming in loud and clear, the tenor of the conversation changed. Oh, you aren't supposed to be getting channel 30, but you can for $30 a month. I like them, they are always looking out for me.

Because cable was a backup to DirecTV and I figured they couldn't filter out the upper channels, I always said thanks, but no thanks.

After about two years of this, they finally sent someone out to make sure I am only getting channels through 23 (ESPN). They finally did it.

Now it is my turn to fire back.

There were a few technical issues that made cable nice to have just by the way I had my DirecTV set up.

I have 2 receivers and one of them controls 3 TV's. To change channels one must be in the living room. Not good if you are lying in bed. Since I also had cable, I just flipped around on those channels. I still could do that, but my favorite channel 52 Fox News is no longer available - except on DirecTV.

So now that I can't lie in bed and flip from the local news to Fox News without going to the living room, I bought a new TV, mount, stand, and am going to move the satellite receiver into our bedroom. To top things off, I am going to hang the old bedroom TV in my bar.

The last thing I will do is call the cable company and cancel. They tried for $30 not satisfied with my $10 and now they will have $0. That'll show them. My annual payment of $120 will really be felt you can bet. Dump your Charter Communications stock immediately.

I am glad my son works for Circuit City. He got me a good deal on an open box (used) TV.

So I have a new toy to play with and it's all because of channel 30.

Until the next time
John Strain

It speaks for itself

Click the photo to read the story

Click here and look for the video link

You could focus on the President, on the war, on the tragedy of a man paying a high cost to serve his country, of the beauty of a man paying a high cost for serving his country, or you could just marvel at the resilience and the tenacity of the human spirit.

All of that and a lot more is captured in this photo and the story. Make sure you watch the video.

Thank you Staff Sergeant Christian Bagge for your service and for your sacrifice; from a grateful American.

Now what's your excuse for not running this morning.

Until the next time
John Strain

What is real; what is right?

I didn't have to run today, so I took Bear dog for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. We have a little route where he sniffs, pees, and poops. Between 6:30 and 7:00 AM is a good time to do this, because the sun is just above the horizon and the heat is a few hours away.

It was especially cool this morning, 66 degrees. It is so peaceful and enjoyable to do this and it also gives me time to think.

This morning I was thinking about the peacefulness. Before we walked, I threw the football for Bear. He is so enthusiastic chasing that ball and bringing it back. Being with me and chasing a ball makes him happy and it seems to be enough.

I thought about the squirrels. I gave them a fresh ear of corn and they seemed to enjoy that. A little water in the birdbath and they enjoy a cool early morning splash. I passed a lady in a bathrobe outside with her little granddaughter. The girl was excited to see Bear. "Look at the puppy!" I met a jogger and exchanged greetings.

The pace is nice and easy and the word peaceful seems to take it all in. Now contrast the vitriolic rants on the morning news shows and the images of pain and suffering. A bombardment of bad things, angry people, and hopeless situations comes in unending sorties from the television.

The economy is in trouble, crime is getting worse, global warming is going to kill us all. Politicians and pundits talk about problems and blame them on the opposition, but no one talks about solutions.

Meanwhile, all over the world, people are going about their daily routine. They are taking morning or evening walks. They are laughing with their families. The world is full of people who just do their job. They are not on the radar screen of the media unless they become the victim of some horrible accident.

Goodness and goodwill are all around us. Beauty and peacefulness are right outside your door, but so is anger, hostility, betrayal, and violence.

Sometimes we can go through life and keep to ourselves and to the things we enjoy. Even with those best intentions, the other world has a way of breaking in on us. Sickness, crime, careless accidents, and bad luck will touch us at some time in our life; all the more reason to enjoy the peace you can find.

Reality is what we perceive for the most part. There is a Real and there is Truth. I believe there is Right and Wrong as well.

When the people who live by the letter of the law outnumber the people who observe the Spirit of the law, you get a very bad result. The law and statistics in the hands of ill-intentioned people can be a dangerous weapon. Power plays have been going on since people began living together in societies, so this is nothing new.

Our salvation is in the collective power of good people living by the values and principles they were hopefully taught as children. A child knows the difference between right and wrong. Adults learn ways to rationalize things to where up is down and in is out.

You have more power than you think. Your smile and kind word is more than disarming; it is healing. Have you ever seen anger dissolve from a face because of a smile? Do you know how healing an apology can be to you and another? Can you look outside yourself to try to understand the point of view of another and work toward a compromise? Do you know the joy of giving and helping? Have you known the release that giving up a grudge or granting forgiveness can bring?

All of these things are powerful tools we all have. Even unused rusty tools can do the job. Dust yours off if you haven't been using them. Let go of your anger and stress and enjoy the life that is before you before it slips away. Regrets, remorse, and missed opportunities will haunt your older years if you don't. Make those days joyful; it is within your power.

Until the next time
John Strain