March is a coming tomorrow and today is the end of February 2011. The cold of winter still lingers and the skies are still grey, it seems the wetness is here for a while to stay. Hopefully the winter shall come to an end soon, for so much grey, makes for a depressing scene and view. It seems to seep into a person and make you depressed because the sunshine outside is so much less. But, it changes as the year goes by, so, things get better for you and I.

There is always home repairs and things to care for and about to do. And fun times and sad times seem to roll on through. But that’s life in it’s own way. As I always say, We are all put on this planet to complete missions we don’t even know about, but once we complete those mission, we are recalled to where we all came from. So, as you do all you do each day, and things  get done or in your way, remember to live fully and have fun, because sometime you may not be here to get anymore done!.

 

So no matter what you do, or where you go, do it one hundred percent and all the way, and you shall live life to the fullest and happiest is what I say!!

During the 1980’s, Libya and Gadafi were problems the world did not want to deal with then, anymore then today. As a sailor I sailed on ships sent to the area that had the mission of taking out this madman, but we never got him. Today he is  a bigger madman then ever before, killing thousands of his own people to try to stay in power. Sadly we all know that soon he shall end up either dead or captured and then tried and convicted for his crimes by his own people, like Sadaam HUsien before him. The Libyans have finally had enough of this Dictator and Tyrant and decided he has to go, the only question that remains is how he shall go. Will his own people trap and hang him as they did in Italy to Mussolini? Or will he be captured then tried and hanged or shot as Sadaam was in Iraq? It is indeed a process impossible to stop for sure now.

A note and letter to our President here in America now. Dear Mr. President Obama, we have enough problems we are trying to solve here at home and abroad already, please do not involve American Troops in this fiasco in Libya!. Afghanistan and Iraq are enough and we should get the hell out of those countries too now. We have enough problems domestically to deal with, and although we still remain a military and diplomatic power on the world lets not spread ourselves too thin, ok!.  Solve our own problems first and lets straighten our own house up before we go helping any others any more.

Lets pass a damn budget first and foremost and keep our own country running Mr. President. We elected Representatives and Senators and you to run the country and keep us solvent and moving forward, not bog us down in more morass. Pass a damn budget and lets get on with it already. Leave the Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security alone, People in our country depend on these things to survive, stop the bullshit and cut some defense budget shit, some office staffs, and other items.  Why ask the American people the lower or middle class included to pay more taxes? Get the rich ones to pay they have it and yet get away with keeping it and not paying more then the ones lower on the totem pole so to say. Wake up America!

Each day I wake up reminded that I served my country for 16 years, because my back and neck spinal injuries ache and hurt me beyond compare. I suffer through it all and take meds and walk with a cane now a days. I am no hero or Superman, I am an American who served his country is all. Don’t touch my Social Security or my Medicare, don’t take away my Disability Checks each month, because you politicians can’t get a budget together. I like many other Americans who served rely on these funds to live, don’t make me come camp on the White House Lawn in a tent. Wake up Congress, Wake Up Mr. President, do what is right save the country, fund it and lets move on.

The Federal Government wants to let itself shut down because Congress and President Obama can’t agree on budget issues. Doesn’t this sound like a Husband and wife arguing over who will pay what when and why? To me it sounds like a spat, and the two sides need a mediator then, I will volunteer if they like. I will tell them what to pay for and what not to if they want me to.Defense keep it steady and strong is all you need to do. Don’t mess with Medicaid, Social Security or Medicare. Cut office staffs, Cut supplies, cut non-essential personnel.  Take all the damn extras out, the ear marks you all attach and while your at it take a pay cut Congress, cause your failing to do your job anyway, you can’t even pass a budget correctly. Republicans stop trying and wasting time on repealing Health Care Reform provided by Obama, and just fix it if you have to, but leave it in effect. Too many Americans need some form of health care insurance and what Obama did provided many with coverage who didn’t have it, will what you do cover the same people? I doubt it, I really do. I had my ears flushed out of wax by a Medical Clinic and then by a hospital cause the clinic didn’t get it right. Why doe sit cost 224.00 dollars to get this done, when all one needs is hydrogen peroxide and warm water and a syringe? Please explain that to me? Make it simple and easy will you, cut the overhead charges from the medical side, it’s crazy. I had a Tia stroke, and the ambulance to run me less then 10 miles to a  hospital sent me a bill for 5,ooo dollars! Five Grand for a ambulance ride come on now, some one is bullshitting me and trying to take me. SO I did what all good American Citizens who served their country and became Disabled Veterans would do, I handed the bill to the Veteran’s Administration who paid it off, and they got a lot less then what they wanted for sure.

 

Government shutdown my ass, If our Government shuts down on March 5th, 2011, by November 2011  we should put all of Congress out of office for not doing their jobs we elected and pay them to do. If we elected you and are paying you stop taking vacations, and trips for fun on our money, get back to work, roll up your sleeves and get a damn budget taken care of and passed!. No excuses needs, none excepted ok!. If you don’t get it done, many of your employers, the American People are going to be madder then hell and not take this shit much more. So if I was elected to Congress as a Senator or Congressman I would definitely be a lot more careful and work a lot more harder if I wanted to keep my job. Put your noses to the grind stone Republicans and Democrats and Tea Party folks, and lets get it done and taken care of, why you messing around, compromise where you have to do but do it!.

 

We the American people do swear by our Constitution and Our Bill of Rights, that if  Congress and our President can’t do the job and keep our country running then, they should not be in office anymore, should they folks?

Oil Prices hit 100.00 dollars a barrel today again, Gas prices will rise, heating oil will rise and everyone will pay more. Libya has internal problems the prices jump. Why? It’s a political game actually and if the world had a brain they would not buy Libya’s oil at all. They are only raising the price to pay for their own internal troubles is all. We all know that now and should just say the hell with them, and buy the oil elsewhere.

 

Next is the political unrest here in America over prices and costs to each state to run themselves. The weather conditions worsened this year with big snow and ice and costs the states more money to clean up. Now that many states are in deficient they are asking their citizens to pay high taxes and give up Unions. That is crazy too, because America was built up by Unions over the decades and century and the Unions helped it’s members and the economy at the same time.  So why ask the Unions to disappear unless, your scared they will want more of everything for their money too. Negotiate Governors, and don’t kill the unions that have supported and helped it’s members and the country too.

Each day brings news of Tyrants, Dictators, running and stepping down or fighting being put out of power.  Listen up Leaders and Dictators and Tyrants etc, if the people you lead wanted you in power you would not be rebelled against or chased around your country till you die or leave, they would keep you in place. Obviously you have all done something wrong to the people you talk about leading. You can’t lead by force only that’s number one, nor, can you stay in power by force in any way. The people are the force, damn your Armies to hell, because in the end if the people want you gone it will happen. When the population numbers out number your military show of force members/ armies, guess what they will take you down by getting to your weapons and more. SO make your minds up and listen to the people or get over run.

Each day I try to wake up and see something good in the world as well as something bad and contrast the two and see what happens. But lately you wake up and you have revolutions in many countries, our people in other countries dying for causes they do not know what they really are and dictators being crazy and overthrown.  After seeing all of the above happening  in other countries, I wonder do we need one here in America, so we can get our own Government to work properly and not screw us all over?

Then here in America we have peace on the war front of course, but politics rules the air waves with Republicans pointing at the Democrats and Obama and saying they don’t know what they are doing, and we do. What the hell is that all about.  Frankly speaking no politician in America knows what the hell they are doing anyway, if they did our taxes in each state would not be going up,. Seem almost ever state in the country is raising taxes now, and the Federal Government isn’t helping by fighting over what budget to pass and when. You know you have to pass a budget anyway folks, just pass one that will hold you  over longer as you  argue and make sure you pay us veterans, social security folks and help us all still in need otherwise we may all end up at your doorsteps, wanting to sleep in your mansions and homes. Sadly, some cuts will have to happen both Federally and on a State level for most states. Not much can we do to prevent or stop it can we, except to tell them to leave our social security and disability checks and Medicare and Mecaid alone, we all need it. Call your Congressman or Senator or both folks, tell them to settle the budget woes and get a move on and leave what is helping us all out alone, now!

Writing has been a pass time of mine for years. Endlessly writing short and long stories and poems, and even songs at times, just for things to do. I have learned though that doing so does not make me a good writer, it just makes me a diary keeper or note jotter and unless I work at it harder and with passion, I can not tie it together correctly, to get it in print at all. Disjointed writings do not sell, nor do stories without a plot, or reason to them. People love hearing stories but only if they make sense to them and tell a tale of hurt, pain, love, joy or a result they can learn from. So to me, writing is a pass time that at times makes no sense to others.

I have written poems, stories and found them to be unacceptable to publishers online and off. They usually come back with comments like too long, too windy,not coherent, hard to follow, or please make this follow a plot better. Sorry to say Publishers and Editors out there, but, people write about what happens in their lives, because they need to tell it to someone, whether it is in first person, second person or even third makes no difference to them, as long as they get to tell it all and get the relief of taking it off their souls and mind.

I have numerous time started stories or tales of life and never finished them, saying to myself no one will care about it all, cause it just doesn’t matter and everyone has their own story to tell anyway. Then I am reminded in one way or another, no two human beings live exactly the same, nor do we have the same circumstances or visions. So, I may indeed write my story down and see what happens, what to call it though would be the question.

Possible titles can be things like, Survivor, Beaten, Yet not Dead, Cold Blooded Fool, or even Bastard Without a Conscience!  I know writing my story would take some time and those who would read it would go no way, your kidding, it’s a lie, that didn’t happen etc. Truth is really rough and better then fiction they say, well when I tell my story, then maybe, just maybe someone will understand!. I know not when or if I shall ever tell the true tale of my life, but it covers things more interesting then a HollyWood Heroes or Stars, because it covers factual events and times and shows how one person or child can survive a rough, hard cold childhood and still carry on.

Monday February 21, 2011, another week begins as I make preps to evict a person from my property, already the Notice to Quit is served and signed by a Marshall. Next I drop it off at the clerks office and then on 1 March take the Summary Eviction Papers in for signature and to clerk. Sometime people think they can stay forever and play games with landlords, well they can’t. The law is the law, if you don’t pay you don’t stay or play.

That said and done, the world itself is erupting in fighting and winning for democracy for a change. Isn’t it nice to see countries like Egypt and Libya and others fighting for freedoms and the right to rule themselves. They may not all be Republics like America is in the end, but they will definitely be better off in the long run. Democracy allows choice and you get a voice in your government and the way things are run as well as rights as a citizen and human being. These countries have kept their people down long enough and it looks like the changes will come sooner than later.

Now Republicans please wake up! You are not going to repeal the Obama Health Care plan and Law, You can not do what you want with the budget either. Thank God the President is the one with the power of veto, I hope he vetoes any Republican stupidity before it happens. The rich do need to pay more taxes the poorer the less should be paid. Not the other way around. The budget doesn’t balance because of it helping the people, it doesn’t balance because of ear marks and add ons in the budget, and because the rich do pay less.

Constantly I am hearing how states want to tax their citizens more each pay check for different reason and that sucks. Don’t we already pay enough taxes in Connecticut and other states too. Maybe it is time for the states and country to do some things to lower the cost of oil, gas, energy and food and clothing now. The condition of prices of everything is crazy and rising and no one is doing anything to reduce it, why? Prices are rising on meat and fish and food and clothing, not to mention oil products including gas  and home heating oils. Maybe, just maybe we should just invade a oil producing country and take over their oil assets and provide our own!. I know I sound like a nut case saying it, but, why let these countries hold us in ransom over oil and gas? Lets go electric cars and cut the gas and oil use age in all ways we can.  If I had money I would solar power my home instead of heating it with oil. SO choices are there for sure, maybe we Americans need to look closer and make decisions to change what we use for power sources?

 

IT’s been one crazy winter in Connecticut for sure. Big snow and ice storms, ice dams for home owners, trees falling over and no let up weather wise really that lasted long at all. And George W. Bush said no such thing as global warming!. Well it’s here now and evident every day this winter so far. We need to clean the air and atmosphere up and stop polluting it and more, including our oceans and the poor fish in it.   What no one has done while complaining about these environmental issues is to actually enact laws to clean the air and oceans and save the planet and make them stick. We need stricter controls and laws and make them for all not just major corporations or small ones, all at once. Ah but who am I right I am just a nobody citizen so my words don’t get noticed.

Home Owners Blues Season is what I call this winter so far!. First it is heavy snow and a driveway buried alive in it, then leaky roofs due to ice dams  and gutter clogs, now high winds and falling trees, what’s a home owner to do?

The high winds hit last night here in Connecticut and suddenly an old tree fell. It bent a chain link fence on me and scrapped my home, but it did no other damages as far as I can see so far. It’s been one hell of a winter this winter of 2010 to 2011. One thing after another, after another it seems. No rest for us homeowners who try to stay alive. Seems it doesn’t matter what you do, Mother Nature can not be fought, unless your name is Father Time, and we all know that is one hell of a long affair.

Anyway, now that I need a clean-up crew I will probably have  one cut other trees back now and clean up a lot . I have other big trees around the property I worry about falling over and getting my house so I shall have them checked and removed if needed now.

The way things have been going here, I wouldn’t doubt in the near future I may have to sell this home, due to the tightness of  money these days. The cost of running a house so big, is crazy and in the end we may have to let it go, to survive.

A Question many in the world may ask is death or the age one dies in the genes? Is the age one dies predetermined by the family members before you? Good question I always thought as I near the ages of my own parents deaths.

My parents died of cancer each one and though I smoked for 30 years then quit there is no guarantee on me not getting cancer either. Cancer is a gene passed down from one generation to another and never fully eradicated from a family, it can lay dormant for a generation or two, but resurface later I am told. So far I have been lucky in this regard, because it has not hit me. But I have lived a life surrounded by cancer and it’s victims who number from a high school girlfriend, to my grandfather, to my mother and my father on both sides of the family line.  Surviving a deadly disease like cancer is not easy for sure in a family line like mine, now my second wife has survived it also, for almost 5 years or more.

I wonder how long though, I shall survive given the ages of my parents at the time of their deaths? My father died at 55 of cancer of the lungs, my mother died at 59 of the same. My Grandfather on my mother’s side died of cancer also  pancreatic at 71   and my grandmother of my mother’s side of heart failure at age 64. So the question now is how much longer can I go in this life  and world?I am now 55 years old.  The future is there of course and I will be survived by my daughters and grandchildren of course, but, not knowing will always be at the back of ones mind.  I now take blood pressure Meds and statins too!.

When your young and running and having fun in your youth you never stop to think of these things or of your own mortality. What you tend to think is you shall be here forever, and ever and not worry as you carry on each day. But as you age slowly and gracefully, at least hopefully for all, these thoughts do come to mind. And one can not help but wonder, will I be here tomorrow, shall I wake up the next day? You take each day, one at a time and hope you do is all.

In  closing let me say this to anyone who reads this blog or writing ,  I plan on living each day to the fullest and doing what I believe is right for me and those I love and trying to enjoy what time I have. I think that is all anyone can do in life, live it to the fullest and keep going and loving. May God grant us all the time to do what we need to do and accomplish before we depart!.

Medicine has come a million miles in distance of treatments over my lifetime, that’s for sure. Yet it still can not guarantee a spinal injury operation to work. Once you damage your back and neck or any part of your spine, you tend to never heal completely, and it cost a fortune to fix it. Medical costs in the United States are crazy, just try and get some medical attention and see for yourself when the bills start rolling in.

I live less then ten miles from two hospitals, in Connecticut here. I had a TIA stroke a few years back and an ambulance came and picked me up. The ride to the hospital one way cost me $5.000.00 dollars just the ambulance!. Then it was additional bills for the doctors and emergency room, by the time the bills all came in and totaled up, was 10,000.00 dollars for the medical problem., Why? These costs are crazy, but in my case, I sent all the bills to the Veteran’s Department and they covered and paid, because I am a disabled veteran. Luckily I have served my country and was injured in the line of duty or the costs would bury me alive.

Spinal injuries, even with the advancement of medicine the way it is, are still no guarantee to be fixed correctly or fully. I suffered my injuries in 1982 aboard a Naval Ship serving my country so I fall under Veteran’s Administration for help and care. So I have had on and off bouts of spinal problems which are slowly getting worse over the years and still they don’t like the odds to operate on me. SO I suffer the pain and now walk with a cane. It is all part of a disabled veteran’s life, just stop by any hospital and see for yourself.

I get my prescription for free my medical care for free and even my dental for free now. Lucky me! But I feel sorry for those who aren’t so lucky that is for sure the costs alone would give me heart failure to see if not for the Veteran’s Administration.

Each day millions upon millions of Veterans who served for America  suffer from injuries ranging from lost of limbs and spinal injuries to head and mental injuries. And The Veteran’s Hospitals provide the best they can for sure. I only hope and pray they will always be there for me, because my condition gets worse each day. One day I may end up in a walker or wheel chair, but, I will never give up hope, or surrender until I die.