It struck me while Cheryl and I spent a few hours cutting up and stacking a very large pile of wood on Saturday:
Funny how the older a man gets, the faster some body parts stiffen up compared to other things that take longer than they used to.
I'm sure there's another apropos observation relative to the size of one's wood...pile, but I'll think about that another time.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
All I want is this one thing, and nothing else! Well, and this paddle game! I need that!
When I was around 12 years old, give or take a bunch of years, but since Trev is 12, I'll go with that, my Mom told me she only had one request for me that she wanted me to keep to, the rest of my life.
And that request was that I never ride a motorcycle. And so far, with the exception of one time when my neighbor friend Stuart Quillman took me out for a spin through the fields along Black Horse Road, which may have happened before, or possibly to inspire, Mom's request, I've kept to her request.
Over careful consideration and much discerning over the past weeks or maybe even even longer, I think I have one request for both my kids, and Trev in particular, given the predilections of other teens I've seen, and that is to not get high any more than once a week at the very, very most.
From what I've seen in other teenage (and older) males I very much care about, it has hurt them in so many ways, almost to the point of keeping them from being productive members of society, and I don't just mean in the capitalist sense. I also mean in terms of relationships with family and starting a family. And it just rips me up inside. They are such amazing kids, on so many levels, but there is one thing I can see (though conceivably there are others) that has held them back, and that is their love of getting high, in any of a number of ways.
As for Emma, my main request is that she not marry, or get in a long term relationship with, a dolt. Set your standards high, Emma, as you already do for all of us lucky enough to be in your life!
I read recently a great quote: "Kids don't always listen, but they do always see." I just hope they're looking at the right people.
I love you, Trev and Emma!
And that request was that I never ride a motorcycle. And so far, with the exception of one time when my neighbor friend Stuart Quillman took me out for a spin through the fields along Black Horse Road, which may have happened before, or possibly to inspire, Mom's request, I've kept to her request.
Over careful consideration and much discerning over the past weeks or maybe even even longer, I think I have one request for both my kids, and Trev in particular, given the predilections of other teens I've seen, and that is to not get high any more than once a week at the very, very most.
From what I've seen in other teenage (and older) males I very much care about, it has hurt them in so many ways, almost to the point of keeping them from being productive members of society, and I don't just mean in the capitalist sense. I also mean in terms of relationships with family and starting a family. And it just rips me up inside. They are such amazing kids, on so many levels, but there is one thing I can see (though conceivably there are others) that has held them back, and that is their love of getting high, in any of a number of ways.
As for Emma, my main request is that she not marry, or get in a long term relationship with, a dolt. Set your standards high, Emma, as you already do for all of us lucky enough to be in your life!
I read recently a great quote: "Kids don't always listen, but they do always see." I just hope they're looking at the right people.
I love you, Trev and Emma!
Would you like a list?!
The criticism that hurts the most is the criticism that has some truth to it, especially if we hadn't previously observed it about ourselves on our own.
And, in my experience, it hurts even more when it is said in anger by friends or someone we love.
Wonder why I'm such an expert on this? Probably because my friends seem to have no qualms about telling me about my shortcomings!
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
And, in my experience, it hurts even more when it is said in anger by friends or someone we love.
Wonder why I'm such an expert on this? Probably because my friends seem to have no qualms about telling me about my shortcomings!
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Why is this a big deal again? Because a Dem had it passed, that's why
OK, so imagine this scenario:
Imagine our current system of health care in this country was Obamacare and had been for many decades, where the government requires everyone to have health care, although 90% of the population is covered through their employer's plan, and if not, the government either picks up the tab, if you are a low wage-earner, or, if you make over a certain amount, you can instead pay a fine and then would have to be responsible for any costs you incur at a hospital or doctor in full. In other words, a plan whereby every is accountable for their own coverage, unless they are among the bottom rung of wage earners. And all preventative care is covered 100% and kids can be covered on their parents plan up to age 26, along with all the other benefits of Obamacare.
Now, a Democrat running for President suggests that we should abandon that entirely and says if you have insurance through your work fine, but otherwise, it's going to cost you ten thousand or so a year to get coverage, but if you don't want to do that, you can just go get free care at any hospital and the rest of us will pick up the tab for you. Oh, and kids are off their parents place after college or high school and you have to pay a deductible for preventative care.
Think that would go over well? I call that socialized health care, where the rest of us pay for people who don't think they need to have to pay or can't afford it.
On the other hand, when you look at it that way, it seems like the only difference between Obamacare and the current system in the big picture, not including the coverage up to age 26, and free preventative care, all of which is great, is that in one scenario, hospitals pick up the tab and in the other, the government does. And in the end, we all pay more as a result.
Imagine our current system of health care in this country was Obamacare and had been for many decades, where the government requires everyone to have health care, although 90% of the population is covered through their employer's plan, and if not, the government either picks up the tab, if you are a low wage-earner, or, if you make over a certain amount, you can instead pay a fine and then would have to be responsible for any costs you incur at a hospital or doctor in full. In other words, a plan whereby every is accountable for their own coverage, unless they are among the bottom rung of wage earners. And all preventative care is covered 100% and kids can be covered on their parents plan up to age 26, along with all the other benefits of Obamacare.
Now, a Democrat running for President suggests that we should abandon that entirely and says if you have insurance through your work fine, but otherwise, it's going to cost you ten thousand or so a year to get coverage, but if you don't want to do that, you can just go get free care at any hospital and the rest of us will pick up the tab for you. Oh, and kids are off their parents place after college or high school and you have to pay a deductible for preventative care.
Think that would go over well? I call that socialized health care, where the rest of us pay for people who don't think they need to have to pay or can't afford it.
On the other hand, when you look at it that way, it seems like the only difference between Obamacare and the current system in the big picture, not including the coverage up to age 26, and free preventative care, all of which is great, is that in one scenario, hospitals pick up the tab and in the other, the government does. And in the end, we all pay more as a result.
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