Liberty and the current government crisis

I cannot go along with those who claim doomsday is just past the horizon. Though I believe there may come a time when the foibles of our political leadership have led us down a road of no return, I find it counterproductive to assume that we are already there. That may be the case and preparing for it should be on every thinking person's mind (and not only on their minds, but in their plans and in their actions, such as acquiring needed resources in the eventuality of such a disaster as the collapse of our economy) from time to time, but to continually dwell upon it removes all hope and joy from life.
So what do I think needs to be done, right here, right now? If the elections are truly a farce, rigged, and people are truly fraudulently elected--if the American people are truly fools who will elect whomever the media convinces them should be elected--if no matter who I elect caters to the media, the corporations, George Soros, or anyone else who is out there pulling strings, then nothing I do matters. Why should I do anything other than prepare for the eventual war that will occur?
The reason is this, I do not believe that we should give up non-violent measures to preserve life and liberty until all other measures have been exhausted.
That being said, we see through national polling (not discounting that the polls themselves could be rigged, but I'm not as much of a conspiracist to believe that every pollster is bought and paid for) that all of the Republicans, save Donald Trump, beat any Democrat running. This looms large because of one thing--the recent demise of a true champion of the Constitution on the Supreme Court--Antonin Scalia. With the Court in a crucial balance right now, one more leftist on it could totally undo our Constitution. If we get another Supreme Court justice like Sonia Sotomayor to replace Scalia, say goodbye to our 2nd Amendment rights.
That makes it imperative for any Constitution loving American to vote and to vote for the most conservative candidate who can actually win. Voting for a Libertarian or Constitution Party candidate doesn't get the job done of electing a candidate who will nominate a justice who actually believes in and affirms the original intent of the Constitution. This election is more crucial than any other, and the death of Scalia makes it even more so. Trump isn't the candidate who would defeat Clinton or Sanders, and it's arguable that he's even a conservative. It's highly questionable who he might nominate as a Supreme Court justice. Yet for conservatives to say that they won't vote for him if he's the Republican candidate is to virtually give the presidency to the left, and thus tearing to shreds the remaining fabric of our beloved Constitution. The best thing is to make sure that Trump isn't the candidate representing conservative values, but if he is, he is a far better choice than either Hillary or "the Bern". Unless, of course, your goal is to undermine the Constitution and reduce liberty in America. If that's your goal, my advice is to vote for one of the leftist candidates, and then, when you find that your liberty has been usurped by those who would curtail your freedom of speech, your ability to call terrorism terrorism, your ability to speak your mind without recrimination, your ability to drive as far as you want to in whatever vehicle you want to drive--then you can take full responsibility for your actions. For each man or woman must own up to the decisions they make and the causes they advocate--and the results that come from those choices.
Yes, we might be headed down a path of destruction, but to do nothing to stop it, or if we try and hasten it, is in my mind a trail to ruin. I will be there to fight, if and when the time comes, but I will not give up on the America in which I grew up. I will not give up on the fighting spirit of liberty that has dwelt in the heart of every true American since the day our Founder first signed the great Declaration. Those Founders fought for liberty, even to be wrong.

Today's keys for better health

I've recently been seeing a naturopath to try and figure out ways to lower my blood pressure without resorting to blood pressure meds. So far, so good. My last three measurements have been 110/62, 100/58, and 128/78. Those aren't bad readings. There is really no clear cut answer for what levels blood pressure measurements would be considered "low" other than how a person feels. If you have reading, like say, my middle one of 100/58, well that would typically be low, but not necessarily. It's more based upon whether or not you feel good. With low pressure you may feel dizzy or light headed. I felt none of those symptoms when I hit my lowest figure.

So what's helping me? I've been eating better. I have a smoothie for breakfast, try and eat less grains (the doc says it's not because they are bad for me, but because eating grains keeps us from eating veggies and fruit). I'm also avoiding foods with added salt, such as canned cream of mushroom, tomato, or cream of chicken. Though I still eat the occasional bad meal (yesterday I had chili cheese fries for lunch), I'm mixing in more lunches from home and progressing in a more positive direction--away from the fried foods in general, bringing tuna sandwiches to work, eating apples on my breaks etc.

I've also been doing things to control stress. Relaxing, deep breathing, controlling my own reactions to things.

My exercise levels have gone way down during the past couple of months due to being on the overtime list at work. I can only believe that once I'm back exercising like I should be, at the beginning of April at the latest, my health will improve even more. I will be able to go for a walk this morning while I'm waiting for Ann at her doc's appointment, and I will be skiing this afternoon, so it's not like I'm totally ignoring the exercise part.

So, here are the keys: avoid fast foods and extra salt intake, eat wholesome veggies and fruits, practice stress relief, exercise, drink plenty of water. A guy in my study group last night said that giving gratitude to God for the water as you're drinking it actually makes the water respond is a positive way and that studies have shown that. Though a cursory look found no studies to confirm this, it doesn't hurt to have an attitude of gratitude in all we do. A positive outlook, keyed by gratitude goes a long way to creating an atmosphere in which good health can flourish.

Life, Glen Frey, and the Eagles

A guy posted this on a Facebook page, about the Eagles Glen Frey who died yesterday,. I thought it was very good:

So, so sad! Way too young to die, 67 is not old but what we all have to realize is that you can die at 37 just as well as you can 67. It's not about getting old or your age, it's keeping your health strong and staying on top of it. That's all we can do. I beat Stage 9 cancer just a year and a half ago and it was a very fast moving rare aggressive cancer. Keeping positive, never be afraid, don't think about it or give it a second thought. Keep your spirit unbroken, be a warrior and say you won't beat me, and do all of the different treatments you have to do no matter how sick they make you and painful they are you have to make up your mind from the start and verbalize it out loud and say, "I will win, nothing is going to take me down, I'm not finished with my life here on this earth, my goals, dreams and what I intend to accomplish yet. I will not let anything stand in my way or leave this world until I'm ready and I'm done with what I set out to do." A strong mind and relentless spirit will carry you through the darkest of times. Always pay attention to changes in your body, listen to what it's trying to tell you if something doesn't feel right and hurry up and go get checked out. That is vital for survival! Fly with the angels Glenn, your music will live on here forever.

I'm committed to life. I'm committed to survival. We never know when it's our time to go, but one thing's for sure--we can fight the diseases that ravage us. We can eat right, work out, try to get enough sleep and drink enough water. We can laugh. We can grab life by the scruff of the neck and make it do what we want it to do, and if we can't quite get it done, we can have a great attitude about our efforts. What we can do is put our full effort into making our lives incredible and robust.

Looking back, and looking ahead to 2016

For me personally, 2015 was a great year. It reached its peak in the last few days. I like it when years go like that, but that isn't always the case, and in my case, much of the way a year goes is based upon attitude. Did some bad things happen to me during the year? Of course they did. But I think that when it comes to survival and ultimately, victory, the attitude we take toward the challenges of life is what makes the difference. I no more believe I'm going to lose now, than I ever did. Coming off victorious sometimes requires tenacity and stubbornness greater than the brutality of the challenges. It requires sheer will at times. I remember once hearing that Olympic runner (winner of the 1984 Olympic marathon), and former world record holder in the marathon, Carlos Lopes looked at each marathon as one man against another. He would say (to paraphrase) that the other guy running next to him was just as tired as he was, and all he had to do was the keep running until the other guy gave out. That's how I view my challenges in life---keep on surviving until I leave the problems behind, whether the problems are people or events. With people, I actually don't try and leave them behind (unless they deserve it and only a few really bad people do), but strive to out-stubborn them. That is my way of winning. I will outlast those whose ammo is negativism. Period.

But 2015 ended, not with having to outlast anyone, but with a sense of great happiness. At the last, I celebrated with the rest at midnight, banging my sauce pan with a wooden spoon, ringing in the new year. And what a year that promises to be! It is never guaranteed, what kind of year will happen, but looking forward with a positive attitude, and taking setbacks with courage and faith, go a long way toward fulfilling the promise of the newness. 2016 might not end up in grand fashion like 2015 did, but it's starting out like a miracle. When you view it with those eyes, you see that whatever else happens, you can win in the end. And that, is a beautiful thought.

Life: meaning, goals and the drive to survive

I have a lot of plans for my life, even when I'm much older. One of the most important aspects for survival in any given situation is a reason for doing so. Consider the case of Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist who lived in Vienna. During WWII, Frankl was captured by the Nazis, forced into and ended up surviving several concentration camps, including two of the most notorious, Auschwitz and Dachau. According to psychiatrist, Claire Newton:

"Prisoners in concentration camps were deprived of everything which, in normal circumstances, contributes to a loss of psychological well-being, dignity, and worth. Yet it was in precisely these most adverse conditions that Frankl became convinced of the significant role of values in people's lives. Having something to live for was what enabled prisoners to hold on to the will to live in circumstances that made death seem like a solution.
Frankl believs in the (indestructible) significance of life. Death for Frankl is the boundary which makes life a unique, unrepeatable opportunity. he believes that life is given to us so that we can find meaning - even in suffering.
According to Frankl, suffering does not deprive us of the freedom to decide how we will deal with that suffering. If a situation cannot be changed, if suffering cannot be avoided, what is retained is the freedom to change ourselves. Suffering has meaning.
It offers us the opportunity to transcend adversity. By the way suffering is borne, a tragedy can be turned into a triumph. The freedom to live a life of worth and dignity remains, even in suffering."

Frankl himself said, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
He also said, "Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time."
Frankl found that if a person had a particular reason for living, they were much more likely to survive. The reasons could include reuniting with a loved one, completing a college degree, or even revenge against their Nazi captors. If didn't seem to matter as long as they had motivation. If there was a reason and they internalized it, they were much more likely to make it out at the end.
So too with life in general. If there is motivation to survive, despite the hardships, we are much more likely to do so--and to a very old age, I might add. Though we cannot thwart God's plans, we can maximize the life he has granted us. The bottom line is, have a plan, and have goals and you will be a victor. I'll end with one more Viktor Frankl quote: "Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drive."

I'm feeling a bit sucky today

Some days, you just don't feel all that great. It can be a physical thing, or it can be something emotional or mental. Sometimes you can't even do anything about it. Like now. For me.

We all feel down sometimes. And we all need to know how to climb back up. I know. You've felt down before too. Maybe you're even feeling so now. So, now, how to climb back up. That's the million dollar question and there often aren't easy answers.

Here's my suggestion. Grab your life by the scruff of the neck and make it do what you want it to do. That's it. Be proactive. Don't wait. Do something. Maybe knocking yourself off dead-center is what you need to do in order to get out of the blues.

It's what I need. Or at least, part of what I need. The other part lies down the road, and only time will cure that part.

Until then, I (and you) need to make the best of what God has given us. We all do. It's those who can do so who end up living happy lives filled with great things. And that's what I want.

Life is an adventure

“Life is an adventure”. So true. There are things in our lives that challenge us to the very core of who we are inside. And there are joys so high that they almost cannot be measured. The thing is, one never really knows when each of them will come.


That's why, we must learn to cope with anything that happens. Why we must be able to not just survive, but come out a victor in the end.


As Charles Swindoll has said, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.”


We can decide how to react in any given situation. Sometimes it's easier said than done, but it can still be done, no matter the circumstances. As Denis Waitley said, “The losers in life let things happen. The winners in life make things happen.”


So take off the tie, roll up the sleeves, and get going at making your life what you want it to be. As the old ranch hands used to say, “we're burnin' daylight”. Saddle up.