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You have entered my blog. I take no responsibilty for your reaction. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** MY NEW CAR....WELL IF I HAD THE MONEY TO BUY ONE!!! Thanks Thea!!!! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| Ever wonder how a firefly creates so much light? They are so bright and compared to their size and energy level, they can create an amazing amount of light. Why can't we understand the chemical process and duplicate it? If we could create that energy, wouldn't it have to make a huge difference in the energy demand of the world? Is it that difficult? We can fly into outer space, We can swim the internet where unlimited information is just floating around, We can clone life, but we can't solve the seemingly little problems around us. What we need here is an inventor! Where are they all? It seems that inventing electricity was much more difficult that creating the chemical makeup of a firefly's illuminating juice? I can't remember the last real invention. Is it a lost profession or have we just invented everything already? I was driving out of town yesterday to look at a truck to buy. I looked at all the cars and trucks on the road. Nothing really new for years.Yeah a few more luxury items with electronics, but basically just four wheels, windows, doors and a powerplant.....That's it! It's funny too, the style is reverting back to the old round look. For years they have been designing more and more square..suddenly it's round. I am sure they will come up with fins again..well actually they do as many small cars have a fin on the trunk now. Do you think there is a real purpose for those? It's called a spoiler.... OK where did that come form? What the heck does it spoil other than the air flow at the rear of the car. No I think it is just for fashion. We have one on our new Impala. We also have dual exhaust...it looks really sharp! I hate the tire pressure warnings though....just let me have a flat like most normal humans! When that low air pressure alarm goes off, my wife won't even drive it. The alarm warns you that your air pressure has dropped from 32 to 30. Instead she jumps in our van which always has low tires and she drives to work on 26 and 28 psi. That's Ok though because no alarm is warning her not too. I think I am going to try to invent some thing....maybe a machine that fills the tire back up when the alarm sounds....Oh, the army already has that! Well I'm out of ideas for now....will have to sleep on it I guess..stay tuned! Ski |
| I remember when I was a eight or nine years old, My drive in life was to get out of school each day to play. On Sundays, I wanted to be first one changed out of church clothes to get the funny papers. My purpose in life was fairly immediate. I was thinking only hours ahead. When became a teenager, my goals were much more advanced. I wanted to get out of school each day to party with my friends. On weekends I rushed to get out of the house to force as much fun in each day as I could and hope the hell Monday would never come. My purpose in life was still short term as I merely wanted time to have fun. I think back to those days and realize I was rushing life so much. So much in fact that I was married at 17 years old. I left school and went to work. Seven months later I had a child to support. My goals had surely changed. I lost my childhood right that instant. I had not finished being a child but now had a child to teach about life. What did I know? Well I couldn't wait to get out of work each day to party with my friends and on weekends I dreaded each moment that brought me closer to Monday and a new work week. I think I see a pattern here don't you? Yes I had no direction. Isn't that something the parents are supposed to help you with? Did my parents help me? I don't know...maybe they did and I just ignored their guidance. Regardless, I don't remember them exercising any control for me. I breezed through my twenties, divorced, remarried and thinking about landing that dream job and making so much money that I didn't need anymore. I couldn't wait for work to get over so I could work on my house and spend time with my kids. On weekends I couldn't seem to get enough done before Monday showed up. In my thirties, I planned on becoming independently wealthy by the time I reached forty. I had no plan in place, I just felt something would land in my lap. I tried many different things waiting for that big break. I owned a couple business's I eventually failed with both of them lasting a little less than ten years. In my forties, I felt that the money thing was right around the corner but I might have to wait a little longer to be wealthy. I was not lazy by any means. After work, I was constantly busy and still had that Monday thing crawling all over me. In my fifties, (I am now fifty one), I realized that I couldn't remember what my purpose was. Where did my life go? I remember many things about my past and I know I did ok bringing up the kids. They all have purpose and a plan in life. They are independent and bright. SO, I guess My wife and I did a good job. But why do I feel that I missed something? I think I did all the things a parent and a person is expected to do. I provided for my family, I never went two weeks without a job. I was the man of the family and handled my responsibilities easily. But I didn't stop to live my life. It is all gone now forever. I never had a plan, only immediate purpose. Is that what life is supposed to be? Do you wake up one day and realize that you made all the motions but did you really live? Here I am fifty one and I work hard. I put in extra effort to take care of my responsibilities. I want for the end of the day to come so I can get out and enjoy my life. The weekends are much too short and that dreaded Monday continues to plague me. What has changed? My purpose and goal has stayed the same all these years. I don't have one! I guess my point is for you younger viewers is don't run through life without purpose. Life is not supposed to be a memory, it is right now today and plan for tomorrow. I would probably shock myself by the amount of money I have spent. None of it for the future. I just didn't have a plan so I wasted it. Will I wake up Sixty years old and find that I can't wait to get out of work so I can go home and get my nap in? Will I complain that the weekend is much to short and drag myself out of bed each new Monday to force myself to work just so I can wake up when I am seventy to the realization that I have no plan? I know my one plan of being independently wealthy so I can enjoy my life didn't materialize. Do you think it is because I had no purpose or did I lose my purpose on the trail to today? I can't think of one defining moment that changed my life. I think it just meandered to this day in time. I have no idea where I am going with this. I guess the soul searching thing has probably just gone too far and I will look forward to getting out of work today so I can go for a run and then a swim, drag myself out of bed to end up at work for another day. Boy I can't wait for the weekend! Ski |
| I sure would not want to be a bee! Did you know that the life of a male bee is quite disastrous? In the bee world, the queen runs the show, she shares the nest with all of her sisters and daughters. The first thing that surprises me about this is that all theses woman in one house manage to get a long. Two in my house can be tough enough! The male bee is called a drone......there is the first problem...the guy being a drone? So this poor guy wakes up one day and is a male. In this society he is treated as second class and finds out he has only one function. He must mate with the queen. Now before all you guys out there start hooting and hollering, as we know there are many guys that would love a life of doing the queen,maybe sucking down a few beers and watching the fights on TV, while the woman do all the work. In this case though it is not that exciting. You see one day the poor drone is a virgin. The queen goes flying off and the drone is told to get out there and make love to her. Now you can imagine how excited he is, flying up to the clouds to "get some" with the queen. The drone flies in behind the queen, sticks his thing in there, does his manly business and the "POP!" Yes there is a huge popping sound and it is the sound of his genitals being ripped from his body. He then peels off the queen, instantly realizes the there will no more sex and then dies. Yup the poor guys gets it once and then is discarded. The queen just keeps flying as she waits for the next drone to catch up to her. I can picture the huge smile on his face as he sees the back of the queen getting closer and his lance quivers for it's destiny. If only the poor guy knew what was going to happen. Would he keep going? I mean life with out sex, would it be so bad? He would still have the TV and beer right? If he knew the climax of sex was death, I don't think he would be that excited. I sure am glad there are no queens around here! SKi |
| I am in discussion with myself again. The inner me that no one knows and only talks to me is restless. Usually there are only periodic comments that float in the background, lurking in the shadows of my consciousness but not overpowering my thoughts. Little suggestions to try and convince me of it's opinion. Today, This voice is standing tall and won't shut the hell up as it rants about my life. I am sure everyone encounters this very same thing. Your mind is trying to make sense of your daily life and decisions. Maybe most of you won't admit it? Perhaps I am all alone here, but I doubt it. You see, there is the outer me that people hear and see everyday. It is really a filtered version of the real me. The raw essence of the uncensored Ski is hidden to most of you. This person is allowed to come out and play when no one else is around. Ring a bell yet? Don't you act in an unrestricted manner when driving by yourself? Pehaps singing at the top of your lungs when that special song comes on the radio?How about when you find yourself home alone or in the shower? Don't you let loose a little? Act a bit more radical than when people are watching you? Aren't there times when your brain thinks of things that you must decide whether to act on it or not? That is your true inner self talking and that is the person that shows up when you are alone. I visit this person when I run and we have great debates. I can think things through and conquer problems. This is the person that sings and dances in front of the mirror and I am beginning to think that this may in fact be the "you" in your dreams.That may be why it is so real but at the same time you act different. I notice that in my dreams, I do not second guess myself or worry about other people's view of me. In everyday life, I think the inner and outer me balance in a way that makes my life manageable. When you are struggling in life is when I believe the balance is off. If your inner self gains too much control then you act the wrong way. same thing happens if you push away your inner self and drown it's voice, your outer self looses direction and struggles. I think that is why people call it harmony or finding yourself......This is the balance and when you have it, your life is good. Trick is to allow your inner self to grow with out taking over your life. That is what I am doing today, evaluating my balance. I am full of questions and searching for answers....don't tell you have never been here! Ski |
| Ever had that morning where your body feels as though you ran in circles all night? Your eyes barely open, your body can't move and the brain flickers in and out like a loose light bulb or some kind of Morse code. Well that was me this morning. I tried to focus on the clock hoping it would read some rediculous time like 1:00 or something. It read 3:30. I laid there for another minute or so. My mind desparately trying to form a reasonable excuse to stay in bed. Damn work ethic! Why did I have to get it? Soemtimes it is just a curse. I managed to drag my legs to the side of the bed and throw them over the edge. The pounding echo as my feet hit the floor convinced me that I accomplished the task. Slowly I lifted my unwilling body to an upright position and slid my feet forward to the bathroom. I would surely need my shower this morning! Why is it so hard some mornings? Did I do something last night that I don't remember? Maybe dreams are real. Maybe I was so busy in my dream that I didn't get any rest. I guess that is possible....how else do I explain it? I remember when I was younger ... say about 8-12 years old. I would cherish the coming of the morning. My eyes would pop open as the sun beat on my face. I was a morning singer. I would jump out of bed, my head in the clouds, just chomping at the bit to enjoy the day. I would be singing or whistling as I scurried to get dressed. Where is the guy now? I can't remember the last time I whistled as I gladly threw on my body coverings and rushed to enjoy every minute of the day in front of me. I read Shelly Sunshine and remember exactly how I felt each morning. She seems so bright.....then again it is 3:30 am when my body is protesting. Maybe if I waited for that sun to beat on my face, I would be singing. Instead I feel that I have lost the most important part of the day if I don't get up and get going....Damn work ethic! Did I already complain about that? Yeah I guess I did! It is a catch 22 because I really do love.....enjoy.....ahhh well.....like... getting up early... well not getting up per say but after I slap myself awake and get out of the shower...well then I am glad I got up. Hey, remind me to tell you about a dream I had. You all have a good day, I am hard at it and anxcious to get past the FRIDAY in front of me so the weekend will come. It does come doesn't it? HAAA HAHA HAHHA ! I laugh at the week behind me....I beat you! I win as the week is almost past and it did not get the better of me....did it? Well I do have to work tomorrow, probably only a half day.... well 6:00 to noon, so a half day for me and I don't have to get up early....heeeha! ......Oh do the dots bother you? ....I like using them, it creates a little hesitation in my conversation.......I like it! Ski |
| First of all, my dream girl did not show up last night.............But I did dream I found a new travel coffee cup and brought it home, my wife was very happy! My wife works at LL Beans, some of you may have heard of the place. Well they have an health program and if you enroll in it, they give you a discount on health insurance. It is called Healthy Lifestyles. We joined of course as we are both in pretty good health and who refuses a discount right? The procedure is, they send you a date and you show up for screening. I answered a very long list of questions, There were about 100 people or so and they were corraling them in through this process. They checked my height...this is my first gripe.....My license states in a very acurate looking manner that I am 5' 10" tall. Well I am actually only 5' 9 3/4" but I embelished a little. They listed me at 5' 8"? Whats up with that? Next they check your weight, after your heartrate spikes from their scales, they check your heart rate.......Ok, how can that be acurate? Well my weight was 180 lbs. No surprise here because I weight myself every day and it fluxuates 178-182 so I was ok with that. Well not ok as I would rather be 170..... My heart rate was a little high, but in my defense, after the long line outside, the chair hopping, the million questions,the false height, the scales and then having to bend over and put my shoes back on (without a chair) while they pushed me to the next station, I think most hearts would have been pumping a little extra. Well mine was 134 over 89. Anyway, they take blood then offer a cookee..........So, 1 month later I get their results in the mail.......Their first paragraph says, Judging by your height, weight, bloodpressure and your calculated BMI (body mass index) your BMI is a whopping 27.8 ...........Slight hesitation........ It continues, We would like to inform you that you are extremely overweight, you do not meet the recommended requirements for daily diet, you are hypertensive and in danger of heart desiese,a cancer risk and a high risk for heart attack.............. Now if that didn't hit me like a lead potatoe, they continued to say, You can help reduce these risks if you start an exercise program, cut down of your food intake and pay attention to your diet...You can do it! ................You can do it? That is their advice to me? They pound me with all this crap, basically call me a fat, lazy, slob and then tell me You can do it? You can imagine that I was a little upset about their report. First of all a doctor never examined me, so they can't possibly figure a correct BMI because they don't know how much muscle I have (maybe I'm jacked!) .....Well ok not jacked, but definately more than jill... I have a scale at home that measures BMI and you put in your body build, activity level, age and it measures you....mine hugs about 14-17 depending on time of year.. they calculated me at 27.8!!! Well according to Healthy life styles, I will probably not be around to write in my blog tomorrow.....sorry! Now, for those of you who don't know much about me or have not seen my picture, I am very active. I run 18 - 30 miles a week, I swim almost daily from April to November.I work out in the winter with treadmill, rowing machine and bike. I ride cross-country bike in the summer. I do have a little ponch in the midsection and there are some pockets of fat in a few places, but if I lost 10 pounds, I would be quite trim. I never viewed myself as fat and lazy.....slob..well my wife and I disagree on that one! I am so hurt! I didn't realize that I was fat and I just can't seem to come to terms with their report. It is now documented knowledge in the health industry that I am in such poor health....I am feeling a lttle tired and sick.......I just didn't know!! Are they right? Have I been fooling myself all this time? At least I found a new coffee travel mug in my dreams to drink my.... ensure .................Ski |
| Ever had one of those dreams that was so vivid and real that the thoughts and feelings carried with you after you wake up? What is up with that? Some people say that dreams are the mirror to your soul. Do they really have meaning? Perhaps our brains are just relaxing and the chemical release merely allows random thoughts to run loose in there. If that is true and we try to squeeze meanning out in a way to guide us in life, wouldn't we take a chance of going in the wrong direction? On the other hand, if they do have special meannings and we ignore them, what repercussions would prevail? Shouldn't someone stand up and answer this for us so we will know what to do? I know one thing, when I wake up with a dream that surely feels real and I can't shake the feeling with my eyse open, I find myself believing it was real in some way. I can't help it as the emotion is so prominant. So, if there is meanning, how does one interpet and learn by it? I have had different people explain the symbolism to me but it seems so vague that you could relate it to almost anything. There are no exact answers just little points. So in my dream last night, one thing that sticks out in my head is a white knit type blouse on a girl. I don't know the girl, but I do know her....OK that is confusing. So the white means something? What does it represent if you know but don't know someone? What if they kiss you? What if you liked it but at the same time didn't feel anything by it? See what I mean? If a dream is not exact, like mine, how could one derive a special meanning from it? Who has the real answers? How do I get past this feeling I am struggling with now that I am awake? Do dreams really have meanning? Sorry, I guess I am more about questions this morning than wisdom. I get the feeling that I am not too wise anyway. I think I dreamed that at one time! |
| OK Folks, Here is touchy subject. Why are we striving so hard lately for gender neutralism? Why can't a boy just be a boy or a girl be a girl? Why are we not allowed to be different anymore? I came accross a book that I think all young boys and their fathers should read. The title is "Dangerous book for boys" by Conn Iggulden. By the way for you girls who feel left out, he is currently writing one for girls called "the Daring Book For Girls" Let's face it, boys and girls are different. Reguardless of how we try to become a beise society. The fact is that in many ways, we are black and white. We are different so why can't we act that way. Shouldn't we be proud of our chemical make up? I love to see a woman that knows and feels she is one. I want her to be sexy. I want her to expect me to open the door for her. I gain much pleasure by doing it and it fills me full of joy to think she depends on me to protect her. Where is that woman today? Why do we have to be equal? Why am I not expected to treat her special instead of equal? Reguardless of how hard society tries to curb our natural feelings, they surface anyway. Let's not choke them down, let's embrace them. That is what I like about this book. It covers subjects like poison Ivy, building tree houses, creating a gocart, lots of stuff that spark a boys interest. With this book, Dads can become involved with their sons again. The bond is allowed to grow. Isn't that what we all talk about? Maintaining a bond with our children is our legacy. It is the MAN things I remember about my dad and Grandfather, the WOMAN things I remember about my mom, and Grandmother. Now that doesn't mean we can't cross paths in some areas. I love to cook and I showed my youngest how to make "egg in a hole" I hope some day he will show his son. Now we did it in a manly way of course. We made this huge mess, didn't follow any type of directions and lived with the consequences of our fate. It tasted good everytime and my wife made us clean up the huge mess. I also showed my daughter how to make it. She was much neater and kept asking "how much or this or that" and I would show her, oh about this much. Because it was custom, I would add whatever the spirit moved me at the time. The are some things that don't go well with eggs but I will let you experiment on your own. When we had our first snow storm in the winter of each of my childrens newly aquired license, I would take them out for "slippery" driving lessons. Now my wife didn't do this. First of all she would worry too much and kill the spontenaity of the lesson. This was surely the mans job. I would make them drive at about 35 miles and hour and have them slam on the brakes as hard as they could. Each vehicle being different would act differently with this action. I told them this was important to know because if they had a panic stop, they would want to be prepared for what ever the vehicle does. Then I would have them drive about 45 mph and hit the E-brake. This causes the vehicle to go into a sideways slide. A "brodie" we called them. Then they would have to get the vehicle straitened out and maintain control. Trust me, I felt much better about them driving in the winter after these lessons! OK, it was fun too! By the way, my daughter handled the vehicle better than all the boys You know what? My wife felt better too when the kids drove in storms, but of course she still worried. My point is that us men and women are physically and mentally different. Why can't we cherish and embrace that fact? ----- Neutral gender--- Who made up that word? Ski |
| What is luck really? I have heard that word so many times in my life...I am strugglng to really understand it. I guess some people have it and some don't? Where was I when they handed out the good luck charms? I think the problem is that I believe it is the wrong word. I need someone to help me. Who can find a word instead of luck? I mean isn't it relative? When I landed this job 14 years ago, I thought myself "lucky" that I got it. So where was the luck? First my two bosses looked at my background and granteed me an interview then decided I was what they were looking for.....were they the lucky ones? Well It has been a good job, but the things I brought to the table are values that I had to continue and build on. So I work very hard,usually 60 hours a week and they depend on me for many things..Now if that was me being lucky, wouldn't I be able to just breeze through, not put in any effort and just bask in my good luck? See that is what I mean, I wouldn't call it luck. There must be anouther word that describes it. Perhaps it was good fortune that I saw the add in the paper, but after that it was up to me. Now everything is relative and one could argue that there was no good luck at all as my job is very difficult and I honestly am tired sometimes. Because I have grown accustome to the pay scale (my family too), I can not afford to throw my "luck" into the dumpster and leave my job. So, I ask you,is it good fortune after all? People have told me they have good luck. I see plenty that I have thought the same....they always come out smelling like a rose. So why is that? If luck is a real thing, then where is the luck store, because I am anxious to purchase some. I have heard many say they they were lucky to find God. They were living a horrible life, drugs, violence etc. They were lucky,woke up one day and found God...I wonder, where is the luck? Can't they just give or take the credit? Either take the credit themselves for waking up and seeing what they needed to do to get away from there problems...or give the credit to God...right? where is the luck in that? No, I think luck is an overused word that does not really describe our lives... Help me find the right word will you? I guess it was "lucky" that you happened across this blog, as now you have the chance to create a new word that just might change the world! But,,,,,,lucky for who?...........Ski |
| Some one said to me yesterday, "Too many Chiefs" and my mind suddenly went into it's vision mode. The piercing sound of the siren echos as I run toward the Won-tum War Tepee. Once inside the bustling and rushing of people assure me this no drill. The Chiefs were arguing. They could not agree on the method of attack. "We should flank em, and catch em by surprise!" One says. Another is sure we can just storm their front and bowl them over. They all have their own adjenda and think theirs is the most important. Big chief Dan-bang stands up. "OK, We can do it! You indians get on your war paint, grag your spears and......let's go get em!" I jump to my feet, in seconds I am at the war paint table and smearing colors all over my face. I dart to the next table, grab the one cape and quickly wrap it around my shoulders. Last, the spear table. I reach out and grab the one spear. Spear in hand, the pumping of my blood banging through my veins, the yells of the chiefs and finally my adrenaline peaks. I run for the door screamming at the top of my lungs "All right you guys, lets do it!" As I reach the door, I fling it open with one quick motion. Slowly, as the door closes behind me, the voices begin to disappear until I am surronded in silence and darkness. I am all alone. A quick shudder of fear engulfs me. I hesitate as the darkness seems so scary. I swear I see shadows moving in the darkness and the unknown slaps its cold hand against my face. I feel so alone. How can I beat the enemy by myself? I turn and crack the door open, one chief sees me peeking in and waves his hand at me. "Go on." he barks, "You have a job to do!" That is when the insecure feeling comes riding in on his large black horse. Have you ever had this feeling? I don't belong in there, I am all alone out here and the enemy is waiting on the other side of the darkness. It is surely a losing battle. I have already lost as my mindset is wrong. "How can one indian accomplish this huge feat?" I whisper to absolutely no one. Well there is no turning back so my shaking leg moves forward for my first step. Somehow I manage to bring the other one in behind it. My whole body is shaking uncontrollably and sweat is pouring down my face. I reach up and swipe the beads out of my eyes. I am not sure if it is sweat or tears as I feel like turning around and running back inside. Out of the shadows, A large dark figure grows bigger and bigger as it moves toward me. I recognize FEAR and walking with him are resentment, anger and hate. Now these are powerful foes and I realize that this one little indian has no chance. I know now that my end is near and begin to see the visions of all that has happened in my life. The many times that fear has shown up and kicked me down. I realise that this time I will not get back up. I surely can not defeat these creatures by myself. Their great power is sendings rays of darkness that burn as they hit me. I realize that my right hand aches from the white knuckled grip on the spear and my knees can barely fight the urge to buckle. To the right of me two shinning green eyes are piercing the darkness and they glow brighter as they get closer. Around them are figures and they are all walking toward me. The light immediately blankets the darkeness and there stands Shelly with her Sunshine! Beside her Pyper (OH that explains those eyes) Bugzy is there with all her wisdom in hand. Tor stands up, I see his powerful pen and I swear I am standing taller. There is Lisa k (walking fine) and Thea carrying a mirror with her twin inside. Kenzie has the sermon ready and Alfred plays with no pain. Beauty from ashes shows up with a truck load of food and there is Forever, deb W, Paul Matheson, Amber (with The Nut at her side of course) and all those tough little fairies. They form two lines and leave me a corridor strait to the enemy. I am no longer afraid as I have the earthshattering aura of all these friends supporting me. I bravely dart forward, spear strait out and ready for battle. All I can see now is the shadows of fear and his buddies running toward the horizon. Tears of joy scamper down my face as the grin becomes larger. I turn and look at all my friends and bask in their support....... And I'm smiling man. They all smile back and the feast begins!! The power of friendship is surely a great! one! ...........Ski |
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But, honestly, I take the good with the bad, even when it is really bad. Emotions are a huge, huge part of who we are and sometimes holding them back doesn't allow us to truly experience life.
I don't really know what it takes to be a writer but heck, I like to do it and it seems the more I write the more I like what I write. That, I think is the most important thing about being a writer. 