Eight Rather Stupid Things About Me: The Unabashed Version

Jade's idea.
It's all her fault.

1. When I was 17, I was recruited to play drums for a Scottish pipe band, and stayed on for two years. We had gigs at bars,parades, weddings,etc... and in every crowd there was always some young lady who, usually egged on by friends, would attempt to see what I was wearing under the kilt. After the first couple of times, I started to wear a pair of boxers with a Valentine heart pattern. Another pair had a lipstick kiss pattern. The gals got a kick out that.

2. I smoke. Heavily. For 28 years, with no lack of impact on my health. Although I did succeed in going smoke-free for 5 months a couple years ago. Today, I struggle with the nerve to put them down again, any day now.

3. I was very active in the pro-life movement back in the late 80's and through out the 90's. Not unusual in and of itself. What was unusual: I came to my conviction intellectually, without any religious practice to speak of. I started out as an agnostic/deist. My fellow movers couldn't understand how somebody could not be Christian, or religious at all, and still be as intellectually committed to pro-life principles as I was. And still am. And I still think the pro-life movement is too heavily Jesusafied to be the success it should be.


4. If you see me with a bucket of KFC and a six-pack, leave me alone. I don't wanna be bothered. Both wives will attest to this.

5. I like to bake, and it helps me relax and unwind. I've been doing my own cakes,pies, cookies etc... since I was old enough to stand on a chair to reach the mixer. As it goes, I have a collection of top quality bake ware and gadgets, along with traditional recipes handed down that you cant find anywhere else. Even Betty Crocker would be envious.

6. If I had my choice: I'd rather be stuck in crowd of Muslims than a roomful of Jews. I've had the experiences of both, and on more than one occasion. Muslims are warm, friendly, open-armed people, generous of spirit and quick to befriend. Jews,though nice and decent, are just plain annoying in large numbers.
*On second thought: Everyone else is,too. Maybe that's why I avoid crowds.

7. No secret: I was born in Chicago, and my ancestry is heavily Italian. Calabrese, to be more precise. But this is only my father's side, who immigrated to this country alone when he was 15. Mom's side is predominantly Canadian-French laced with Pottawatomie, rooted entirely in Chicago from the city's founding, and has been traced to this grandfather.
All this, and $1.50, will get a me good cup of coffee, and a place to sit, at any Denny's in the nation.

8. I was here!

That's It. I'm Pulling Out The Annabella Card

I took this picture myself.
July 2nd,2005


She was singing just for me that day.
I just know she was.

Blog Pandering

OK, I been in a funk as of late. Just can't seem to get the thoughts out of the head and onto the screen.
Nobody has pissed me off.
Nothing has inspired me.
I got nothin.
I feel so... Kal-ish.
Going out on a limb here, and gonna try something different this time.

Throw a topic my way.
Ask me a question.
(either here, or through private email: addy in the profile)
Anything at all.

We'll see how this works.
Come on, don't let me down.


Oh yeah... as for Annabella, up at the top of this page: Ain't she cute?
Of course, she has absolutely nothing to do with content of this posting. It's just that this guy has got me in a slightly nostalgic mood. Must've been something he said...

Too Funny, Had To Share

Assmonkey

Assmonkey: best defined as any disagreeable idiot who has successfully combined being an asshole with the brainpower of a monkey.

Similar to an Asshat, but multiplied by a factor 9.73.

Umm....

Off to your right, top of the sidebar, you will see a graphic.

The story behind it is here.

As Father to a Son, I can't help but feel heart wrenching sorrow for a friend of a friend of a friend, an obviously great blogger who until now I had no knowledge of.

Follow the links, and may The Spirit move you.

As If Islam Didn't Look Stupid Enough Already...

Nearly twenty years ago, a rarely read author, Salman Rushdie, was rocketed to international recognition when thousands of Religion of Peace followers took to the streets in violent demonstrations across the globe, all in protest of a stupid piece of fiction nobody with a life would've ever bothered to read anyway.

To this day, I know of only one person who has read the most famous book of the modern age. And he is a Muslim. His take: it was a goofie, hard to read thing that made little sense. A big waste of time and money, and a public crime against paper and ink. And not the least bit offensive to his Muslim sensibilities.

Adding further bewilderment to the whole situation, the Queen of England has seen fit to reward Rushie with an honorary knighthood for writing books nobody much cares to read anyway. (Now will you believe me when I say this old woman is the recipient of too much to-do?)

Kinda like Paris Hilton, Rushie has managed to make a career out of being famous for being famous.

So what do we have now?
Thanks to the Queen, whose only purpose is to exist in order to serve no other purpose (and we thought Paris had an easy gig), once again, thousands of Islamic assmonkies take to the streets, burning things, and shouting. demanding. threatening. screaming of death and violence to people they don't know, over a book none of them has read, and nobody else would've ever heard of, if they hadn't been acting like retards in the first place.
Read about it here.

Standing Your Ground

At Ben's place, the topic of 'turning the other cheek' was touched upon. Though not the subject of the post, it became a side issue.
I want to clarify, if I can, a take on this Biblical passage, and the one I accept as most workable in the context of the entire canon of scripture and Tradition. The comment section of a posting just isn't a suitable enough spot for me to do this so I'm doing it here.

In Matthew 5:38-41 Jesus is quoted:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

Let's break this down and start at the beginning...

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Notice Jesus specifies the right cheek. This presumably would have to be done with the back of the right hand, as the left hand was not to be used (Except for unclean purposes. This was the custom, and still is.) Such a slap is a rebuking act, like from a master to a servant, parent to child, husband to wife, and is meant to be insulting or belittling It is not an invitation to brawl.
By offering the offender the left cheek as well, a return strike would have to be open-handed, or closed-fisted, and seen as clear challenge to a knock-down drag-out between what is now(though briefly) two societal equals.

In a class society, such as that of Biblical times, nobody of higher status would want to risk an ass whipping at the hands of one of lower status, especially one whom he had just elevated to that level, although briefly, through an act of pride.

Keeping in mind that Biblical times were violent times, where blood and gore were not just a part of daily life, but public spectacle as well. Receiving such a rebuking slap was really just a minor slight. Just to remind you where you stood.
And not an occasion to start a war over.

"And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well."

This would render you naked. Nudity itself was not a shame. Instead, the one who witnessed and created such nakedness was the one shamed. ("look what you did to me, you pig!")

"If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

This is a reference to a Roman law of compulsory service, which allowed a soldier to require a civilian to carry his pack, or anything else, up to one mile. And not further. By going the extra mile, the civilian is exposing the soldier to punishment for violating the law. Do this once or twice, and the soldiers would be hesitant to seek you out next time they're looking for a chump.

The lesson here is not so much one of pacifism, but of passive resistance.
Jesus isn't telling us to be wimps and sissies.
He is teaching us to take a stand for our dignity, and turn the tables on our offenders.

Bragging Rights

Seattle has the Space Needle.
Chicago has the Sears Tower.
San Francisco has the Golden Gate.
Nearly every great American city can brag of some feat of structural engineering that just makes them oh.. so.. special.

Well, it just so happens that the lowest common denominator city of Fort Smith is not to be ignored,either.

You get hit with it soon after disembarking at Fort Smith Airport. Heading to the restroom, you cant miss it, right up there on the wall, the proud proclamation that lets you know that right here, right now, you are about to enter a special place, unlike any other place in the world, an architectural wonder only somebody in Fort Smith can truly appreciate:

I cant help but think this place costs more to build and maintain than the typical Fort Smith homestead.







They got their pride, ya know?

Hollowed Ground

Fort Smith boasts a long history of ruggedness and promotes it's place in history as the 'edge of civilization' in the 1800's. Before booking the trip, I sent away for a visitor's packet that primarily talked about the Fort Smith Historical District and Museum.

A big bunch of hooey, for the most part. Centered most heavily on Judge Isaac Parker,the famous "Hanging Judge" of lore. The whole "Historical District" thing could have fit within two acres. I guess truth in advertising doesn't pertain to tourist guides.

The National Cemetery was a lot more lively (pun intended).
Rather small as national cemeteries go, it is a final resting place for American fighting men dating back from The War Of Northern Aggression to present day.


Strolling among the thousands of headstones, realizing that these relatively few don't even begin to scratch the surface of the number of sacrifices made on behalf of our nation, I couldn't help but feel renewed respect for those who are still fighting today, regardless of the politics behind it.

Lesson Learned: Speed Limits Are For Real

Here in California, posted speed limits, whatever they be, are primarily suggestions. Try going 55mph on the highway and you will likely get run over. And that's in the right-hand lane.
You see, we may have a right-hand lane, but every lane is a passing lane, and there is no such thing as a slow lane.
You can go 85mph even in the 55mph zone if everybody else is doing it(and they usually are) without running too big a risk of being bothered by the cops.

Well, my first morning in Arkansas I was taught differently. Cruising a down slope, in a very unpopulated area near the airport, nobody near for half a mile, some cop pulls out of a mostly hidden spot along the road and pulls me over. My crime: going 50mph in a 40mph zone.
Taking my license and information, after asking a few questions about my presence so far from home,(No, Sir. I have no people here.), he retreated to his patrol car and started talkin through his radio.
A few minutes went by, and he still hadn't returned, and I just sat there, wondering what all the fuss was.
And kept on waiting.
Finally, at about the 15 minute mark, I started to worry. Last time a traffic stop took this long I was, unwittingly, on my way to jail.
Right about this time, as I'm thinking the worst, I see a second patrol car coming up the road toward us. Yup, I knew it. If only knew what for.(Well, I did have an idea what for, but I'll keep that to myself for now).
A few seconds later,to my relief, the second patrol car passed us by... and kept on going. whew!

So I just sat there, watching the cop in my rear view, as more minutes ticked by. He was still on the radio.
Still talking about me.
Now I'm gettin impatient.
What the hell is so damned interesting about me?
Come on dude. Bust me or not, just do it.

Finally...
Cop walks over to me, I notice he's not reaching for cuffs, but does have a ticket book in his hand.
OK. That's cool. I'll take it.
Handing me the citation, I notice, big letters across the top:WARNING
Warning? What the hell is this?

Then Cop proceeded to lecture me on safety, being attentive, and all the horrible accidents,blahblahblah...
jeeezus.
It felt like I was still in driver's ed 27 years ago.
What's next? A note home to Mom?

For good measure, I collected another one of these WARNING chits two days later,along with another lecture, for doing 46 in a 35 zone.

Oh, well.
They do things different here.
Sure beats a ticket. And a fine.
And it sure ain't California.

Time To Play Catch Up

A guy leaves town for a few days and all the traffic dries up. My,my.. what a fickle crowd you are. Next time, take the Islamic porn lurkers with you, dammit!

Where was I? Oh yeah, tales from Fort Smith.
Day One and Two: I guess there was some sort of radical thunderstorm type stuff going in Dallas. My flight outta Orange County was delayed 2 hours waiting for the plane to arrive after being delayed in Dallas. My connector to Fort Smith was also delayed, as was everything to and from Dallas that day. Eventually, I arrived sometime around 8:30 pm instead of the 4:00 pm as originally scheduled. Too bad my bags didn't. I had to show up at the airport again in the morning to pick up the luggage they originally lost in Dallas.

Monday morning, I made a visit to what is arguably the most prominent, and oldest, landmark in the city: Immaculate Conception Church.
Originally starting out as a log church, the present structure was completed in 1900.
It's visibly striking in contrast to the surrounding city.

And the interior didn't disappoint either. I made a point to visit everyday, for personal reasons(more specifically, off to the left).



Also, on the grounds of the church is another historical landmark: What remains of Zachary Taylor's HQ, the hearth, where he prepared for the war with Mexico. Couldn't help but think: this may be a point in the next US-Mexico boundary line by the time George Bush gets through with us.