It's Raining And I Don't Care

Ordinarily on a Saturday I would be bummed under rainy circumstances. Today, however, I have to go to the hospital and work about five hours just to catch up on my charting and other paperwork. It is somehow easier to take when I would be stuck inside anyway.



Maybe later it will clear off and I can get my run in. If not, tomorrow looks to be nice weather. Therefore, the yard work and long run will have to wait.



A lot of people do not like George Bush. They may wonder why I do. One reason is he sends me personal items and appoints me to special tasks. Case in point, the photo below arrived in the mail yesterday. Notice how neatly he wrote my name at the bottom of the photo. He and Laura even autographed the photo. This will certainly be displayed prominently on the refrigerator door.







To: John F. Strain, Thank you for your early commitment and dedication as a Charter Member of the campaign in Louisiana. Grassroots leaders like you are the key to building a winning team. Best Wishes, Laura Bush George Bush





According to what George wrote, I am some sort of charter member grassroots leader in Louisiana. I feel responsible to deliver the state to George just like his brother did Florida in the last election. Now, let's see, do we have a bunch of morons in Louisiana who will look at a ballot and vote for Bush when they really want to vote for Kerry? Hmmmm. Maybe we can tell everyone at about 10:30 AM the state is already in the Bush camp so all of the Kerry people will stay home. That is what the Gore folks tried in Florida. There have to be more and better ideas out there. This is Louisiana after all, we used to lead the nation in dirty politics. I think we are trying to clean up our image though. The Louisiana legislature has moved to the front burner, debate over a proposed law to not allow people to expose their underwear. I think this is directly aimed at rappers. Apparently, you can show your tits on Bourbon Street, but a cotton waste band is just more than a decent person can take. Thank God they will hash this out, because jobs, business, healthcare, crime, and the environment are already taken care of in this state. I am going to adopt a policy I have heard others state, which is to always vote out the incumbent. These people are jokes.



Now, I'm getting myself worked up. The obvious loop hole here is not to wear underwear. Just like the little girl who told her mother she was getting cookies from boys just for pulling up her dress. "Oh, honey, don't do that," her mother said "Those boys just want to see your under pants." The next day the little girl came home eating a cookie. Her mother said "You didn't raise your dress again did you?" The little girl responded "Yes mommy, but I fooled them, I didn't wear any under pants." I think that little girl was from Louisiana.



OK, I am going to the psychiatric hospital for some sanity and a reality check.



Enjoy your Saturday, hope it is pretty where you are,

Until the next time

John Strain

Am I Only Dreaming?

The woods are beautiful in the winter time. Morning is breaking as I am trudging through the new fallen snow. I can see the bright red sun through the trees as it rises. The tall trees cast long, light blue shadows which form a somewhat distorted silhouette of the woods on the white snow covered ground. The air is sharp, fresh, and clean. The sound of my walking carries well on this brisk morning. slight gusts of wind rustle the already dead leaves that still cling to the trees where they grew. The air is alive with the happy songs of birds as they fly with amazing gracefulness and precision. A tranquil feeling has come over me. My many worries seem to diminish as I drift into a sense of awe. I am refreshed. I cannot help but believe that if everybody took the time to walk in the woods and behold God's handiwork the world we live in would be a better place. Imagine the world without wars, without crime, just peace.



Am I a dreamer?



My mind drifts back into reality, suddenly a bell sounds. I get up and turn off my alarm. The radio announcer's voice rings loud and clear - - "fighting continues in the Middle East . . . crime rates up in 76 . . ."



I guess I was dreaming after all.

---

I wrote the above piece as a college sophomore in 1977. My English professor was an older gentleman by the name of Ira Buffington. Lots of students could not look past his out of style clothes and gray hair. Their disrespect somehow drew me closer to him. I paid close attention in his class. As a ministerial student, I knew English was important, even if that was not my attitude in high school.



Dr. Buffington read some of the papers he liked before the class. The greatest honor he could bestow, however, was to ask the author for a copy of the paper. Those special papers were somewhat immortal. He would read them to other classes as examples of "how to do it."



One day, Dr. Buffington was reading some of the papers he chose as a cut above the rest. The last one he read was my piece, "Am I Only Dreaming." The pride and satisfaction welled inside me to the point I began to shake. When he completed the reading, he looked at me and said, "Mr. Strain, this is an excellent paper, may I have a copy of it?" That was one of the greatest moments in my life. It may not sound like much, but I really worked on my writing. In addition to that, I was genuinely interested in writing outside of English assignments. It was like hitting a grand slam or for you Canadians, scoring a hat trick.



The funny thing is, it still applies. Cheeky Squirrel pointed out my point of view is often idealistic. I suppose he is right. I have been a dreamer for a lot of years. Truthfully, I am a little bit of a lot of things. I am a cynic at times, pragmatic at others. Ideal, wistful, and compassionate in response to some things and critical, angry, and judgmental about others. The trick is to recognize and maintain balance.



TGIF and POETS (Piss On Everything Tomorrow's Saturday)



Until the next time

John Strain

I've Been Doing Some Thinking

Two forces move us to decision making; thinking and feeling. Yesterday I was doing a lot of feeling in the aftermath of the news about the militants beheading an American citizen. I was extremely angry for a number of reasons. As I sat at my computer, I browsed photos and found the one I eventually posted. The post I wrote was more an expression of emotion than a carefully researched history. Nevertheless, they were my feelings. I felt better when they were written out. I finished about 12:30 then went to bed. I laid there for a while still feeling angry and sad and frustrated.



The next day, the comments trickled in. Commenters on my site have always been polite when expressing contrary opinions. I read the responses and replied to them throughout my work day. I was beginning to do more "thinking" than I was "feeling." I get energized by differences of opinion and I was receiving lots of fuel. The beauty of blogging is one can receive feedback from all over the world and I was getting feedback from several countries.



I am still angry and if I give it much thought, I can rekindle those passionate flames. I still hold what are conservative political views. Again, thanks to blogging, I was exposed to views and explanations to my political left. Without blogging, I might have wallowed in the warmth of Rush Limbaugh's soothing agreement or basked in the comfort of FOX News. I assume this also works in reverse. Some of you may read Hillary's book for comfort or maybe James Carville gives you solace from the onslaughts of those darned conservatives. We are all acquainted with opposing views. We have the opportunity to read them and think about them or to zap them, even ban the commenter. I hope these differences of opinion cause us to keep thinking about the issue. None of us can afford to lock down our opinion on such dynamic topics. It is a good intellectual exercise to be open minded without being wishy-washy and to have an opinion without being dogmatic.



Venting emotions is necessary, but if that is all we do, we become exhausted. At some point, feelings must give way to thinking. Only then can we learn something new or strengthen our resolve. You can do this yourself. If you are at the point of biting nails in two, you are most likely emotional. We must transition from feeling to thought. To do this, we can ask ourselves; what is the real problem? What needs to be done? What can I do? How does it effect me?



Opposition is data we can use to hone our own understanding of things. If we block such data, we run the risk of becoming more like the cliché' of our political choice than an individual who affiliates with a political party.



I continue to appreciate this thing we call blogging. I am an old dog learning new tricks. I am learning things about myself. To connect with people all over the world still seems like magic to me.



So thanks to you, all of you who comment here. Although we may not always agree, I always appreciate you taking the time to weigh in on a topic.



Until the next time

John Strain

America and Freedom

America was born for want of freedom. A struggle for independence was bought with blood. People poured onto this continent to taste that freedom. In the 1860's, a conflict of freedoms exacted even more blood and many wondered if America would survive.



Not content with her own freedom, America sent her young men to other wars so others could remain free. Generations of her sons have sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom on many battlefields. The enemies of freedom have taken different forms, Communism, goose stepping supermen, and zealots who believe they know the mind of God.



America has paid a high price for freedom. Sometimes she has erred in her intentions. Yet she remains strong, because her people are strong.



Today our freedom is being defended against terror. This enemy is different. He targets innocent people instead of soldiers. They move in small numbers and benefit from the freedom while trying to destroy it.



I remember the hollow looks of the survivors of the Holocaust. I remember the images of the great wars. I can still recall the fear in the pit of my stomach on September 11, 2001. I also remember that fear melt into anger, pride, and resolve. I knew on that day there would be no talking to such an enemy, someone who would kill so indiscriminately. I knew then we would have to kill them or they would kill us.



Nothing America did could justify such attacks and destruction. The war on terror continues, a tyrant is no more. Iraq is free to determine its course, but the Iraqi people must embrace the freedom. They must rid their land of the foreign fighters and extremists if they are ever to be free. On September 11th after three planes had already crashed into buildings, a fourth plane full of Americans would not passively follow suit. They fought back and gave their lives that others could live. Freedom can foster such nobility in the most common soul.



While guarding Iraqi POW's, who incidentally have American blood on their hands, some of our soldiers disrespected and humiliated them. Boo hoo. While these soldiers violated our own values and policies, they will be dealt with. In the press, and in world reaction, one would think these soldiers were guilty of Hitleresque war crimes. Senator Kennedy even compared the actions to the Hussein regime. What a political whore he is. He would sell out his own countrymen for a political one liner. He disgraces himself.



Then on Tuesday, we learn of a video tape chronicling the beheading of an American civilian, whose crime was trying to rebuild Iraq. Will there be a world outcry proportionate to the abuse meted out by our rogue soldiers? Who will step forward from the Islamic world and denounce this? My guess is no one. Where are the, so called moderate Muslims and why won't they take a stand? Are they afraid? Won't they shed one drop of their blood for the freedom of their people?



America has paid a high price in dollars and in blood for the people of Iraq. The Iraqis better start stepping up themselves or they might as well let Saddam Hussein out of his cage. They will deserve him. The rest of the world should realize who the bad guys are. They are not a few kids who embarrassed a soldier (albeit inappropriate), the enemy is the terrorist, those who behead, who burn bodies and hang them from bridges. The people who fly planes into buildings, blow up trains and busses of innocent civilians are the bad guys. The world must unite to stop this threat or it will continue. America is not the problem. Her crime is trying to impose freedom on the oppressed. She is guilty of trying to free people from a prison they do not realize they are in.



On June 5, 1973, an editorial was written by a Canadian, Gordon Sinclair. It aired on CFRB radio in Toronto. This editorial resurfaced shortly after September 11 and I want to bring it to the attention of folks once again.



Listen to "The Americans" editorial by Canadian, Gordon Sinclair, June 5, 1973



Full text and background of The Americans



OK, as Dennis Miller says, that's just my opinion, I may be wrong.



Until the next time

John Strain

That's The Breaks

I have always heard it said that bad things happen in threes. My latest set of three has to do with things breaking. My washer broke just before we left for Florida. $190 later it was as good as new. I didn't have the heart to watch Barbara use the ringer washer even if it would save some money.



The next thing to break was my leaf blower. It developed an electrical problem requiring a $50 part. Instead of fixing it, I just bought a new one. I am still getting used to the new one. It is not as powerful as the one that broke and it is made for right handers, like most every other frigging thing. You see, the muffler for the leaf blower is on the right side. Therefore, holding it in the left hand, as I do, puts the muffler on my left leg unless I awkwardly hold it away from my body. Crap. I guess I will get used to it. It is hard to do a blow job when you are uncomfortable.



This photo illustrates the third loss.







Notice the stains over each nipple. I wore the shirt once on a long run. As is customary, I greased up with Vaseline to keep my nipples from bleeding. The Vaseline stained the shirt. I went to put it on this morning and noticed the two stains, double crap. I told Barbara, "did you notice the stains on my silver shirt?" She said, "yeah, I washed it five times, but no luck." I guess she thought I wouldn't notice. Wouldn't notice - Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles could see those stains.



Then it occurred to me, the jinx is over. The shirt was the third thing. Thank goodness that's over. My dad used to get paranoid anytime he got a little extra money. "Any time I get a little ahead, something breaks," he would say. My favorite saying of his was this: "When my ship came in, it was hardship."



I guess that's just the breaks.



Until the next time

John Strain