45, 78, 33-1/3

Mean anything to you?  Might not if you're under 25 years old, and not too worldly!  Or your parents got rid of all those numbers before you were old enough to appreciate them!

They're the sizes or speeds that phonograph records were known by, when you were purchasing them.  The 45 record usually only had one song per side.  The 78 was an older record, with several songs per side, but a slow playing speed.  The 33-1/3 was the biggest, fastest record going, with multiple songs per side, again.

A record is a plastic disc that goes around on a turntable, with a needle "reading" the grooves on the record, and transforming this to something we can hear and understand. 

I describe all this because I was talking to a friend of mine, who found some of her parents' old records, and her teenage (at the time) son had no idea what they were.  He is of the CD and DVD generation.  And even some of that technology is going by the wayside.

Our worldly possessions seem to be going out of style so fast, they're becoming "antiques" way before their time.  An antique was once defined as any article over 100 years old.  Now things seem to becoming antique within a decade.   They may not be old, but they're obsolete and more of a curiosity that a useful item.  Would you, could you, say the same thing about a human who turned 100?

Watching and wondering what's next, on Day 222!

Who is God?

Years and years ago I heard a very wise Catholic priest say that God is whomever you want to call him...Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Yahweh, etc, etc.  They are all one in the same person.  Rather controversial for a priest to say, wouldn't you think?  He was a very forward thinking priest, in my opinion.

I'd like to think that years and years ago, when there were far, far fewer people on the earth, that there was a charismatic, peaceful man who went around and tried to get his fellow man to be kind to one another.  He made friends wherever he went, but much to the dismay of the rulers at that time, he was probably more popular than them, even though he didn't ask for notoriety.  He had to be made an example, and therefore he was killed/crucified by the ruling party. 

Of course he had some very ardent followers who kept his dreams alive, and spread his good will.  Through the years his good will, and good works, became, like all stories and rumors, embellished.  He was raising people from the dead.  He was turning water into wine.  And what he preached, was reinterpreted to make the people of any particular region feel that he was speaking to them only.  This may be where the separation of religions came about.

Religion, itself, is supposed to be a good thing.  But now we have people saying their religion is better than someone else's religion.  We are presently condemning Muslims, but think back to the Crusades.  The Christians, at the time, were a rather bloodthirsty bunch!   And there are probably plenty of other examples, on all continents, where religion is used as the reason to  get rid of someone you consider your enemy.  This is not what "God" wanted, when he walked the earth thousands of years ago.  This is not what any peaceful, free person would want.

But today we were interpreting, and reinterpreting the bible, or other holy books, to serve our purposes.  It's a story book that has been told, and retold, with embellishments along the way, to fit the mood of the time.  Too many people read passages that seem to fit their agenda, and if not, they find a different interpretation that will.  They want their "God" to say what they want to hear/read.

I'm just trying to understand it all, on Day 221!







 

So what is it with gas prices?

I think I may have had a mental breakthrough on this issue, for me anyway.

This is an election year, and if you didn't know that, you're living under a rock!  And you walk everywhere you go, or use non-motorized transportation.  And that's probably a good thing; the eco-friendly transportation, not living under that rock!

But look at it this way...the president of the moment, is somewhat of an environmentalist.  He wants to explore more efficient means of producing and conserving energy.  Heavens, he wants to have cars to get up to 54 miles per gallon!  And he wants to explore alternative forms of energy, such as wind!  And this all means the oil companies won't sell as much oil!  And their astronomical profits and big salaries and bonuses may diminish, although I doubt they'd disappear entirely.  Other countries (think China) are still increasing their own consumption, and for big oil, that's a definite plus.

So they raise the price of gas at the pump, and everyone wants to blame the president, as if he has anything to do with it, except for his dream of more energy independence.   And they'd probably like to get the "other guy" voted in, who might, just might allow drilling of oil, indiscriminately, in pristine, natural, wild areas of the globe.  Drilling in itself is not a bad thing; the waste left behind (think spills, disturbed ground, displaced and disturbed people and wildlife should be considered.) 

And then there's a pipeline that some want to be built, which would go from Canada to the Gulf, and not a drop of oil in that pipeline, for the U.S.  Oh yeah...that makes all the sense in the world...if you're an oil magnate.

I'm still driving, albeit less, and looking for positive alternatives, including political candidates, on Day 220!



 

Wasting a month, for good reason...

Just as I was putting pen to paper, and making notes, while driving around on my "real job", I was struck down with an aneurysm.  Fortunately I got the best of care at the hospital I went to, on an emergencuy basis, and I came through surgery with no ill effects, or after effects.  But it did take the entire month on August, plus a couple weeks in September, to get the doctor's release, so I can go back to my job.

I did find myself reading a lot of books, as there was nothing worth while on TV, for the most part.  We can listen to the candidates on either side, and not just the presidential candidates, nitpick on what each other thinks, decides, stands for etc, etc, etc. but after a while, who cares?

A few observations on the whole "adventure."  When I went to the emergency room, it was full of people who really didn't look that sick except for the gal who was in labor.  I heard people complaining that they had been there "X" amount of hours, and were going home if they didn't get service.  Now, if they're really sick, why would they even think of leaving the emergency room?   And if not that sick, why did they choose the emergency room in the first place?

I did have the co-pay with me ($100.)  I wondered how many people just said something like "bill me"?  I'm sure if they paid their $100, they wouldn't be contemplating going home for "lack of service." 

While I was in one of the examine rooms, there was another woman in a room yelling that she wanted a cigarette.  She was told she couldn't have one, and she started throwing things.  Security was called on her.

I have received a couple bills, which say on them "this is not a bill" as the insurance companies have to hash out who is going to pay what.  The stay was definitely not cheap.  But in retrospect of what the doctors, nurses, and other staff personnel go through, they probably earn every dime they make. 

They see you at your worst, and try to help you any way they can, often with little respect.  If you doubt this, jut go sit in an emergency room and watch the action...might be better than people-watching at the mall!

Just glad to be alive on Day 219!