Bucked Off

Ahh yes, it finally happened to me. All was running along smoothly - the blog was restarted, I was full of inspiration, I was actually writing again on a regular basis and then it happened. After 5 1/2 years, my entire team and I were fired on September 13th. It was...rude and crass. I understand that there are a lot of stupid people around that do a lot of stupid things, but, you would think with our group, the bosses would have known we wouldn't do anything stupid if they gave us a little advance warning. Turns out, THEY were the stupid ones. It is really a shock after working so long for something, to have the plug pulled in an instant.

Bucked off.

Well, I've dusted myself off, picked myself up off the ground and am running again. New job, new inspiration, and a better way at reaching my goals. I've often said that the Good Lord has a full time job looking after my dumb ass, and He worked OVERTIME on this one! Less than a month later, I had a new full time job. I am blessed, yet again.

Rob-Roy Going At It Again - - New Robin Carnahan Ad Against Roy Blunt

By far, this is the funniest ad I have seen in a long time! Since Democrats usually don't come out "swinging the ball bat" at their opponents, this is equally surprising at how she bluntly calls Blunt out. If you've not seen it, watch it here - it is priceless!



Oh, I also find it funny that Carnahan is using Billy Long's "Fed Up?" campaign slogan so well to her advantage!

Labor Day 2010: A Reflection on The Working Class

Once a year, a day is set aside for the men and women who work so hard day in and day out all year. Usually, there are parades in town and the most active Labor Unions use the day to tout the contributions of Labor to society as a whole. Yet, Labor Day is more than Unions. It is more than Republican or Democrat or Tea Party. Labor Day should be a day where we reflect on the overall working conditions as a whole, find inspiration among others, and take that inspiration and try to make a change for the better in our own places of work.

Men and women of all ages, political and religious backgrounds make up our work force - most are good people who spend long hours at work away from their families. They work in a a wide range of conditions - some very good, and others that are extremely oppressive. Some work for wages that are well above "livable" - meaning they can pay all of their bills, buy food, clothing, etc...and have a little left over at the end of the day. Some however, work as hard as they can - working 2 jobs even, and have to worry about juggling the mortgage, paying the electric and utilities, wondering where money for the next repair bill is going to come from because they have no savings. Health care? That is a fantasy for many.

A friend told me that there would be no need for Labor Unions if employers treated their people fairly. It's not hard to see why there are unions - you maybe get a 3% raise if you get one at all. But your insurance goes up by 12%. To add insult to injury, when minimum wage increased, many employers did not raise the salaries of their people so in essence, we are working for them even cheaper than before.

Don't forget among the cook outs, the the lake and the parades this weekend that this nation continues to be built on the hard work of people everywhere. Because you enjoy the fruits and benefits of living in the greatest country in the world, remember it is ultimately your responsibility to do your best to find a way to help others who work hard, yet don't get to enjoy a part of the American dream.

Making the Impossible Possible

For a long time, I've really wanted to get into wood working. I don't know a THING about it. Have no clue how to operate a drill press, circular or band saw, or most other power tools. See, the "Private School" I attended as a young man did me a great injustice by killing off "Industrial Arts" before I was old enough to take the class. SO, here I am. Wanting to start out and not having the faintest idea how to do it.

Here's what I will be making tho - a fret-less mountain banjo. Nothing sounds like them, nothing feels like them, and I know I can do it. There are gun and fiddle makers in my family, in fact, my great grandfather was one of them. It's got to run in the blood. How else do you know that you'll be successful before you even start?

Well, there's always the possibility that I'm a raving head case too...

It's Rob-Roy This Way,That Way, and Everywhere You Go

It's August and already Robin Carnahan and Roy Blunt are slinging mud at each other. I have dubbed them with the nickname "Rob-Roy" for convenience. You'll notice around every signature show on television, their commercials dominate to see who can out do who in the arena of nastiness. Gone already are the days of the positive effect someone could have in Washington. Gone are the speeches on high ideals, high ethics, the ability to affect things for the better, and actually, higher standards. Anyone who would dare speak in the positive MUST be "high" themselves!

But dear friend, when you look at the root cause, it's really not their fault, it's ours.

We don't respond well to "pie in the sky" ideals anymore. If it's all sunshine and apple pie, then it can't be worth our effort to know what the issue is or to go vote on it. It's also our fault that we have not pushed our Congressional Representatives and Senators to pass a strong campaign finance bill. When running for office in a heated Arkansas primary costs more than most people will ever make in 6 life times, the system is completely broken. Ditto in Missouri.

I expected better from Rob-Roy, and I am disappointed in both of you.

Sweet Sweet Music - Tim Eriksen

As I was working through things today, I decided that I wanted something to listen to while I was working. Lately, I've been fascinated with the sound of the Mountain Banjo - the kind you will find in "Foxfire 3" that Stanley Hicks made famous. As I was searching, I ran across a banjo player named Tim Eriksen. Tim sings everything that is old, from hymns to ballads, to story songs. He is a man after my own heart as I think I was born old in many ways.

Here is a snipped about him that I found on Wikipedia:

Eriksen is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University, having received an M.A. in the same discipline from Wesleyan in 1993, and has served as a visiting music professor at Dartmouth College, Amherst College, Hampshire College and the University of Minnesota.^[5] He has also taught in Poland and The Czech Republic.^[1] Additionally, Eriksen is a collector of variations of folk songs, and has conducted extensive research on traditional Yugoslavian music.^[2][6] Eriksen shared his extensive knowledge of folk music while a consultant for the soundtrack of the film Cold Mountain.^[1][2]

Amazing sound. I hope you will give it a listen and find a favorite or two yourself.

The Road To Hell...

When I started this blog some years ago, I meant it to be a daily reflection of my thoughts, feelings, and my unusual takes on life in the 417. Yet, I should have known better. You see, I am one of those people that a 1 year journal will last 3 years. I let my time get eaten up by other things, and end up not writing every day like I plan.

I guess it's not all a bad thing, but it does fall into that saying: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." I've had lots of good intentions over time but they don't always pan out.

So, to those of you who check back on occasion to see if I'm still fogging a mirror, indeed, I am. Thank you for your patience, and your reading. Best hopes that I don't take that road again anytime soon.

--MR

Memorial Day 2009

It was lovely to be able to go out this weekend and decorate graves, and spend time with the family. I work too much. I never take off the time that I SHOULD take off. When I am off, most of the time I am exhausted or doing school work,and that does little to help the little one's enjoy life.

Memorial Day is a time to reflect, and to plan ahead for the future. May you be as blessed as I.