A Slow Rock to Nowhere

      I write a lot about the past. I think sometimes we rely too much on technology and have lost the personal touch with people. You dont see neighbors visiting each other much anymore. You cant sip iced tea on the porch online. Well maybe you can now, if your wireless network reaches that far. But, it isnt as much fun. You dont get to see your friends expression when you start telling wild stories about his youth to his current love interest.
     However, I do realize I cant live in the old days. We must constantly move forward or shrivel up and blow away. I have seen it throughout my life. My mind pays more attention to it, since I am growing older. People who seem to keep active are the ones that survive into their late 80s and 90s. Im not talking about the fitness freaks that jog 14 miles a day that eat only organic seaweed. The individuals I talk about are those that find an activity that keeps their minds and bodies active.
     Watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are not the kind of activities I allude to. Neither is spending most of the day watching life float past your front porch. There is little stimulation there. A person must work their mind, body, and soul to survive beyond retirement. Personally, I want to be embarrassing my children and grandchildren into my eighties. Grandpa with his motorcycle, what fun?
     Most of the people I have seen survive, to late in life, spend time doing things. They are always visiting friends, volunteering to help others, or farming. They dont live thinking of the past and that life is over. They find new and exciting things to challenge them. I have even seen many of the, Elderly, on the social media. These people accept the changes and use them to their advantages. There are even dating sites for people over sixty. I havent been brave enough to see what interest they list. I might be traumatized.
    There is a lot that can be learned from people that stay young. Communities can learn from them as well. There are too many towns and cities dying off. These places are stuck in the glory of their past. All they know is what use to be. I have seen so many of the small towns, from the area where I grew up, slowly sliding into oblivion. The coal industry is a shadow of what it once was. It has been replaced by cleaner fuels. The jobs are gone. So are the younger people that were the work force.
     This shouldnt happen. There are some beautiful areas in those mountains. Many of the towns could revamp and find new life. Like the people that excel later in life, they need to embrace the future. I believe the mountains of Southwestern Virginia could be a tourist hotspot for the younger generations looking for fun, excitement, adventure, and relaxation. Im not talking a "Deliverance" weekend. However, I am sure they can hear some good banjo music while traveling through the area.
     There is plenty of beautiful forest and mountains for hiking and camping. There are arts and crafts that were passed down through the generations. No, not just shine recipes. There is nothing like the home cooking to put some weight on those skinny hikers from the suburbs, out trying to get back to nature. There is no denying our culture and music is unique. People would be lined up to spend their money to experience life in the mountains.
     Unfortunately, the communities are like the old man sitting on the porch. He loves to sit and watch the world as it passes by. Stop and talk to him. Hell gladly tell you about how good things use to be. Hell tell you how life is so bad now. Theres nothing as good as it use to be. You better listen close. The old man wont talk to you too long. He has to get back inside and watch his shows. It helps him forget what was and those that have left him behind.

Thanks for the Invitation

      Facebook is an excellent source of material for me to write about. I know I will anger several people with what I am writing. I expect the hate email to pile up after I post this. People do get rather upset when you point out problems with new ways of life. All I have to say about that is, "Bring it on!" I have a delete button, and I am not afraid to use it.
     Don't get me wrong. I'm not against the social media. I have an account myself. It is wonderful. I have been able to get in contact with old friends from high school, college and the military. There were a few of us that thought each other had been killed or died of some exotic poison in the past 20 years or better. This would have been impossible 10 years ago. Today, even 90 year old grandparents keep in touch with their families through Facebook.
     Instead, I refer to those people that tell us everything they do online. Personally, I don't want to hear about you going to the grocery store for the third time, because your spouse got the wrong type of toilet paper. I definitely do not want to hear about your bowel movements. I know there are people that like to share all aspects of their lives. I do caution you to not share as much as some of you do. It gets annoying, and there could be repercussions to over sharing.
    You might ask, "How is that, Matt?"
     I am no criminal, although I have been told I think like one at times. I have seen posts like this before: "Just dropped the dog off at GMs. We are headed on vacation for the next 2 weeks. We cant wait to get to Cancun." Its great to see pictures of peoples vacations in nice exotic locales. However, you may want to wait until you get back. Not all 596 people on your friends list are as reputable as you might think.
     I know some of you have that bellyache face try to understand what I am talking about. Let me break it down for you. First, too many of you have put personal information on the site. How many people are able to see exactly where you live? I can google your house and get directions straight to it, maybe even a picture. Then, I just program it into my GPS and who is knocking at the door.
     Think about that and look at the post, "Just dropped the dog off at GMs." I'm sure your Grandmother will be happy for the company. Unfortunately, the not so honest see something else in that message. "There wont be a dog there to bite me in the butt when I climb through the window."
     "We are headed on vacation for the next 2 weeks." This means several things. The culprits have time to case the house. They also have several days to get the stuff out. It may take a few trips to get out the big screen televisions and your families 100 year old silverware. I wouldn't care if they got my week old plastic ware.
     The last comment says even more. "We cant wait to get to Cancun"Not many people can afford to go there, let alone for two weeks. This says, We have some money and good stuff. The thieves will not be expecting to get cheap stuff from discount stores. Additional, it is very unlikely that you will be coming home unexpectedly. You aren't just around the corner at your sister Martha's house. Their minds are at ease.
     Don't stop sharing those special moments and embarrassing stories. Those are the things that make us smile. Its wonderful to see pictures of loved ones and friends. I just ask you not to share every detail about your life. There are people out there looking for those little tidbits of information. Think before you post. You don't want a good time to turn into a bad day.

Out of the Gene Pool !

      I am amazed at many of the things that make the news these days. There are so many important events going on in the world that some of the things I have read about amaze me. I cannot believe they made it into print. Sometimes it is hard for me to have sympathy for someone that has decided to do one of the, "less intelligent," things in life. I think of many of the old redneck friends I had growing up. There were many stupid ideas we had. The phrase "It seemed like a good idea at the time," always was muttered after someone was hurt. I wonder how many other people have used that phrase.
     You think I might be exaggerating. All you have to do is subscribe to 'News of the Weird.' This is filled with the weird and ridiculous that has been reported on throughout the world. You have everything from the worlds dumbest criminals to politicians who should have never been elected. Some of these individuals are poster children for birth control, or even forced sterilization. I have cringed and shook my head on more than one occasion after reading an article.
     There have been several examples of the "Good Idea Fairy" at work. If you don't know what that is, you are lucky. It is that little invisible fairy that floats around a room whispering ideas quietly in one's ear. She usually has an over abundance of ideas. Many of them have no relevance to the subject or task at hand. Hopefully, there is always someone there with common sense to swat her down.
     Here are a few examples of people that should have never listened to the good idea fairy, or their redneck friends. A woman in Texas recently burned down her own home trying to kill a snake in the yard. She poured gasoline on the snake and had her son toss a lit match upon it. Surprisingly, the snake took off. It's flaming body set brush, and her house on fire. I might not be a fan of snakes, but that would not be my first choice to kill it. A hoe, shovel, or rake would have been an easier choice. Don't say you wouldn't get that close. She had to be right on top of it to pour gas on it.
     There was an article today about a woman from Australia being gored while running with the bulls in Pamplona. That definitely registers as a 'Bubba' moment. I can't say I haven't done my share of stupid things. No person in their right mind crawls through a minefield for fun. But, I have never had a desire to sprint down narrow streets ahead of angry bulls. It isn't like there are people gored or trampled each year doing this. I am sure she had a friend standing there with her going, "It seemed like a good idea." There is always one of those people around.

     I don't believe the media breeds bad ideas. I'm certain that the human race is able to come up with those on their own. The 'bat bombs' of WWII were a prime example. There are times I wonder. Does printed or showing these stories encourage those already prone to commit random acts of insanity? Should we stop printing them? I think Darwin was right. There are no more predators for us to worry about. This could be how the 'gene pool' gets cleaned out these days.

A Father to Remember.

   

       An old friend of mine posted a video on Facebook earlier. It almost made me cry. I was really choked up watching it. The man in that video is an example I hope to emulate as a father. Don't get me wrong. There are many parents out there that are giving everything they have to feed and cloth their families. I have no desire to belittle the sacrifices that they make everyday for their families. They are heroes as well. Unfortunately, it is hard to place their daily devotion on a four minute video.
     I consider myself a a descent father and a man that is is good shape for a 45 year old man. This man puts me to shame. I don't know his age. It doesn't matter. What he accomplished is impressive at any age. Apparently, his son wanted the two of them to compete in an Ironman competition together. Simply competing as a Father and Son is impressive enough. There are many healthy young men and women that never complete the race. It involves a marathon run, a swim designed for sharks, and a bike ride from Hell. Doing all that with a paralyzed child is phenomenal.
     I don't know the man's name. It doesn't matter. His actions are more important than his name. To be  able to even try and compete in the Ironman, took dedication. The father had to spend endless hours training with his child. Even if he had trained on his own, it would not have prepared him for the reality of the competition with his son involved. The video showed him towing his son in a rubber raft through the 2.5 mile swim. I have never swam that far in my life. I cannot even imagine trying that, especially with me trying to pull a raft behind.
     Straight from the water, the father picked up his son and ran several hundred yards to begin a grueling bike race. Not only did the man pick up his son. He cradled him in his arms as he sprinted to the bike. The love was apparent there. His son smiled as he was strapped into a special seat on the front of the bike. His dad went the extra step here. He placed his son in the front, not the back. I'm sure it gave the boy more of the feeling of being involved. He wasn't simply along for the ride.
     Without a chance for pause, the team went straight from the bike race to the 26.2 marathon. The pride and happiness shown on the child's face. The father's visage was beaming pain and determination as he strapped his son in the chair. There were times when he was almost walking pushing the special chair up hills. Other times, he was almost sprinted toward the goal. His son smiled encouragement to him.
     It was well after dark before they crossed the finish line. Hundreds of people stood encouraging them on. tears of joy ran down both their faces as they crossed the line. The father hugged and kissed his inspiration. A smiled crossed the younger man's face. The smile spoke volumes. "See Dad, I knew you could do it. Thank you for helping me do it. You are my Hero, Dad."
     If that doesn't touch your heart, I don't know what will. The Grinch would melt seeing that. This man didn't save the lives of hundreds. He didn't fight some war for God and country. However, he did more. He gave a chance to smile, and a memory that he will never forget. May we all give our children such pleasant memories to remember us by.

Dial 911?

     I have just finished my two weeks Annual training for the National Guard. I know that 25 years is a long time. Many things change in that period of time. I didn't expect the military to change as much as it has. Most of that change has occurred in the last ten years. Before you start speculating, this has nothing to do with the military openly accepting gay soldiers. That doesn't bother me. I have known that they were a part of our armed forces since, I was a wee young soldier. It never bothered me. This is more about the difference in the soldiers from the time of the Cold War to now.
     I noticed an interesting fact while I was sitting in the Chow Hall, sipping on my coffee. It is a morning ritual that most of us old dinosaurs share. While enjoying the extremely bitter brew that this Mess had concocted, I began to really look at the young soldiers around me. When I was a young pup every soldier carried a knife. For many, it was as simple as a pocket knife. In my day, almost every young boy had been given a pocket knife by the time they were 12 years old. It was a rite of passage most boys that lived in the country. This showed that your parents trusted you not cut off anything important; and that you were coming into adulthood. Today, I guess it would be a playstaion, xbox, or their first laptop.
     Every soldier I knew carried a pocket knife, or even better, a Buck knife on his belt. There was always a need for a knife to cut things in those days, or for self defense. The knives seemed to get bigger and bigger as manufactures produced larger folding blades. The knives became so large, that the military felt a need to limit the size and length of them. I believe the maximum length was a 6 inch blade. This stopped some of the soldiers that were trying to make-up for other inadequacies by carrying small swords.
     Those were quickly replaced by the Leathermen and Gerbers. Having a pliers, a screwdriver, and wire cutters beat having a big blade in most circumstances. I know there a few nasty places that I could still be trapped in, if it weren't for these wonderful tools. The leather knife holsters were quickly replaced with these cloth cases. They became so common that the Army started issuing them to certain types of soldiers. There aren't many combat soldiers, I know, that don't still carry one.
     Unlike the troops that have returned from multiple deployments, the new soldiers are very different. I ave had those "Computer Geeks" in my platoon before. You know those kids. They can make a computer do anything, except make a decent cup of coffee. Today's younger soldiers all seem to be of that caliber, at least they think they are. The days of 'Chest Thumping Neandethals' is coming to a close. I seldom hear soldiers bragging about how much they can bench press anymore. Too many prefer to relate to their powers as an operative on "Ghost Assassin," or something in that genre.
     Everyone of them has a laptop, cell phone, and God knows what other gadgets. Now, when you turn the lights out in a barracks, you have to tell them to quit texting. I'm not kidding. The dings and whistles can drive you nuts in the dark. I think I threatened to end the lives of some of these devices, and their owners recently. These are the same soldiers that replaced the knife and gerber on their belts with a cell phone carrier.
 I pointed out this fact to one of my fellow relics. We sat there sipping coffee counting the number of phone holsters we saw pass our table. I think we quit somewhere around 40 or 50. My fellow Non-Commissioned Officer shook his head in dismay. "What are they going to do if they get in trouble?" he asked me.
     I shook my head. I had no answer for him. He answered for me. "We at least carry something that we can cut our way out something not too bad. Or, we can fix a minor problem. What are they gonna' do? Call AAA or 911?"
     I know he was dead serious. He shouldn't have said it while I was taking a drink. I almost choked. He was right. I could see one of them trying to use their cell phone to call for help when things went bad. The rockets coming in and some kid online with 911. I can hear the operator now. "This is 911. What is your emergency?" BOOM!