2:03 p.m. - 2005-10-28
PROUD AND ASHAMED
WHAT AM I PROUD OF....
I am proud of my marriage lasting 40 years and still expected to continue.
I am proud that we treat each other with respect and never call each other ugly names. I think, when we argue, we try to argue fairly. Even in the heat of the moment, we will stop talking and walk away from each other. Later we are able to discuss it and really listen to what the problems are.
I am proud of my son. He has married a good woman and has two great step-daughters. He takes a lot of time and spends a lot of energy trying to be close to both the girls and his wife. I enjoy hearing that the girls adore him because I know he loves them dearly. Even though he must get over saturated with female hormones, he tries to keep his cool and his sense of humor. It doesn't always work but he does make a good effort. He seems to have really grown up in the past year and is a proud home owner, step father and husband. It is great to see and it makes my husband and I feel better knowing he has a family of his own.
I am proud of my career and although I wish I was still an insurance adjuster, I am content knowing how well I did when I was in that field. I now try to do as well in my current job even though I have much less authority as far as payment of claims.
I am proud of our home as is my husband. He has worked very hard on the outside and brought the landscaping and lawn up to high standards. I love the layout of our house and feel it is a friendly and cozy place to be.
I am proud at how we are attentive to our family (immediate) and friends. We try to help when we can. Over the years, we have decreased our relationship with some of the family members. They are just as busy being involved with their children and grand children. Even if we don't see them as often as we used to, we still care about all of them.
We still talk about moving when we retire to another state. I don't know if that will ever happen. We have our son and family here and two cousins we are very close to. Moving is a very distant possibility.
WHAT AM I NOT PROUD OF...
I take my husband for granted more often than I should. I do feel badly about that. I try to talk and get close to him on the weekends. During the week, we both are busy with our jobs and sometimes all we want to do is have dinner and "veg" out in front of the tv. We each have our own tv and our own computers now so we don't spend evenings in the same room very often.
I should take better care of myself and my health. I should get back into exercise and watch what I eat.
I wish my son and I were closer. We used to have some great talks a few years ago. As he has grown up, I feel there is an awkwardness between us. I know we love each other but sometimes, I feel like we have nothing to say to each other. Then, suddenly, we will hit a topic and have a good conversation. I know it is because he has his own family now and he does talk to his wife and girls constantly. I guess I just miss when he was especially close to me.
I wish I had lived on my own before I got married. I just would have liked to know what it was like to be young and on my own. I think money would have been very tight and since I didn't learn to drive until I was 30, I would have had to rely on the bus system like I did then.
So all in all, I am more proud of what I have done in my lifetime than ashamed.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
GOD SENDS A SURROGATE.
Two things Navy SEALS are always taught:
Keep your priorities in order.
Know when to act without hesitation.
A college professor, an avowed atheist and active in the ACLU, was teaching his class. He shocked several
of his students when he flatly stated that, once and for all, he was going to prove there was no God.
Addressing the ceiling he shouted: "GOD, if you are real,
then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes!"
The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Ten minutes went by. " I'm waiting God, if you're real, knock me off this platform!"
Again after 4 more minutes, the professor taunted God saying, "Here I am, God! I'm still waiting!"
His countdown got down to the last couple of seconds when a Navy SEAL, just released from active duty serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, and newly registered in the class, walked up to the Professor.
The SEAL hit him full force in the face, and sent the Professor
tumbling from his lofty platform. The Professor was out cold!!
The students were stunned and shocked. They began to babble in confusion.
The SEAL nonchalantly took his seat in the front row and sat silent. The class looked at him and fell silent.....waiting.
Eventually, the professor came to and was noticeably shaken. He looked at the SEAL in the front row. When he had regained his senses and could speak, he asked: "What the hell is the matter
with you? Why did you do that?"
The SEAL replied, "God was really busy protecting America's soldiers,
who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole!
So he sent me!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
George Carlin on New Orleans
Been sitting here with my ass in a wad, wanting to speak out about the bullshit going on in New Orleans. For the people of New Orleans... first I would like to say, Sorry for your loss. With that said, let's go through a few hurricane rules: (Unlike an earthquake, we know it's coming)
#1. A mandatory evacuation means just that...Get the hell out. Don't blame the Government after they tell you to go. If they hadn't said anything, I can see the argument. They said get out... if you didn't, it's your fault, not theirs. (I don't want to hear it, even if you don't have a car, you can get out.)
#2. If there is an emergency, stock up on water and non-perishables. If you didn't do this, it's not the Government's fault you're starving.
#2a. If you run out of food and water, find a store that has some.
(Remember, shoes, TV's, DVD's and CD's are not edible. Leave them alone.)
#2b. If the local store has been looted of food or water, leave your neighbor's TV and stereo alone.
(See #2a) They worked hard to get their stuff. Just because they were smart enough to leave during a mandatory evacuation, doesn't give you the right to take their stuff...it's theirs, not yours.
#3. If someone comes in to help you, don't shoot at them and then complain no one is helping you. I'm not getting shot to help save some dumb ass who didn't leave when told to do so.
#4. If you are in your house that is completely under water, your belongings are probably too far gone
for anyone to want them. If someone does want them, let them have them and hopefully they'll die in the filth. Just leave! (It's New Orleans, find a voodoo warrior and put a curse on them).
#5. My tax money should not pay to rebuild a 2 million dollar house, a sports stadium or a floating casino. Also, my tax money shouldn't go to rebuild a city that is under sea level. You wouldn't build your house on quicksand would you? You want to live below sea-level, do your country some good and join the Navy.
#6. Regardless of what the Poverty Pimps Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton want you to believe, The US Government didn't create the hurricane as a way to eradicate the black people of New Orleans; (Neither did Russia as a way to destroy America). The US Government didn't cause global warming that caused the hurricane (We've been coming out of an ice age for over a million years).
#7. The government isn't responsible for giving you anything. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave, but you gotta work for what you want. McDonalds and Wal-Mart are always hiring, get a damn job and stop spooning off the people who are actually working for a living.
President Kennedy said it best..."Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
Thank you for allowing me to rant.
GEORGE CARLIN
