Friday, April 30, 2010

If this ain't racism, tell me what is.

When it comes to race issues, white Americans want to be let off the hook far too easily. They wanna say that racism was in the past. That it's no more. But that's baloney. Racism still permeates American society. Underneath. Oh, it's less obvious. Less out in the open. We've never really become truly integrated. Black and white. Other ethnic groups have integrated. Italians. French. Germans. English. Swedes. Because they are all essentially white. But many whites are still leery of mixing with blacks. And to some extent, blacks may be cautious about trusting whites. And I can't blame the blacks. We whites have given them the shaft throughout the history of recent centuries. We claim that the blacks were freed after the Civil War. More bullshit. Blacks are still subjugated to some extent today. Heck, I know beyond a doubt that I wouldn't be as privileged as I am today if I were black. I'd be quite a different person. Because throughout my lifetime I would have been disadvantaged. Socially. Politically. Economically. And that would have had a long-term, lifelong effect on me. Yes, to this very day. But many of us honkies don't believe it. We're unable or unwilling to put ourselves in the shoes of a black person. Maybe because it would scare the hell out of us. Instead, we sit in our little lily white neighborhoods and proclaim black people can achieve any and everything. No problem. But there is a problem. And it's called unrecognized racism. In a sense, black people are still in shackles. They are at a disadvantage. Merely because they are black. And if that ain't racism -- well, then tell me what is. --Jim Broede

Could they be the Three Stooges?

Maybe this is a negative way to think. But I often imagine my anti-heroes. The people I most don't want to be like. It's almost as if I want to be their polar opposite. In a sense, they are the people I detest the most. Oh, maybe that's too strong a word. I really don't like to write off anyone. Figuring there's such a thing as redemption. But still, at this very moment, three names come to mind. Because I think they represent what's worst in this world. Rush Limbaugh. Glenn Beck. Sarah Palin. My three anti-heroes. But I pray that these really aren't serious people. They're just the newest version of the highly-entertaining Three Stooges. --Jim Broede

I'm praying for a full recovery.

I think my country is sick. Very sick. And we need to bring her back to good health again. She needs special treatment. Tender loving care. And big fixes. New, innovative treatments. But I'm not sure that she's gonna pull through. Because many Americans won't even admit that she's sick. Dreadfully ill, in fact. The old gal isn't what she used to be. Some of us even think she's got an incurable illness. Something equivalent to the bubonic plague. So contagious that some of her citizens are living in foreign countries, and even renouncing their citizenship. There was an article in today's New York Times about that. Surprised me a little bit. Because I haven't reached that point yet. I still feel some degree of allegiance. Albeit, I think of myself as a world citizen. With close sentimental ties to the USA. I'd like to see the old lady survive. To be cured. To become healthy and vibrant again. But she's lost the old pizazz. The old spark. She used to be the greatest lady in the world. She used to be principled. But now she's crotchety. And unprincipled. Guess that's what sickness does to one. Almost makes you feel like you don't wanna live any more. Maybe if we had a good health care system we could pull the old lady through. But it's shoddy. And I'm not even sure if America qualifies for first class treatment. After all, I suspect that she needs a heart transplant. The old heart is giving out. Used to be that she had the softest and kindest heart one could imagine. But now it's become cruel. And cold. And indifferent. She doesn't even welcome immigrants any more. The very thing that could maybe revive the old lady. Perish the thought. But I won't be surprised if I'm reading her obituary soon. Oh, gawd. I hope not. But I feel compelled to face the facts. The awful truth. She's just barely holding on. I sense this is a death vigil. But hey, I still believe in miracles. I haven't yet lost faith. I'm praying for a full recovery. Over the seemingly impossible odds. --Jim Broede

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Let's show some compassion.

I'm sensing that we have too many nervous and uptight Americans. Maybe it's the state of the economy. We seem to be wrangling with each other. Divided politically. And there's no issue that divides us more than immigration. Personally, it doesn't bother me that we may have millions of illegal immigrants. I'd have relaxed immigration laws. And I'd grant amnesty to many of the illegals. Especially if they have jobs. And if they are staying out of trouble. That probably goes for the vast majority of 'em. Let's show some compassion. I think immigrants, whether they are legal or illegal, are looking for a better life. The USA was settled by immigrants. Vast numbers. From many countries. It was quite a melting pot. Even my grandfather sneaked into this country. From Germany. Good for him. For me, too. He met his wife here. And they had three children, including my father. Personally, I think we have much bigger problems to worry about than illegal immigrants. The state of the economy, for instance. And the unregulated bankers on Wall Street. They are causing more societal, economic and political problems than undocumented immigrants. --Jim Broede

The perils of beautiful environs.

I have another theory. About why my Chicago Cubs are perennial losers. Because they play in the most beautiful ballpark in the world. That can be distracting. For the Cubs players. They are used to marveling at the magnificence of it all. Counting their blessings. For the privilege of playing at Wrigley Field. So they aren't as focused on baseball. Instead, they are captivated over the beauty of their home field. In less attractive environs, it's easier for players to concentrate on the actual game. Fewer distractions. --Jim Broede

Wish I didn't have to choose.

I'm having a difficult time trying to determine who's public enemy #1. It's a toss up between Global BP executives and Wall Street bankers. They are both capitalist swine. One would wreck the economy. The other would destroy the environment. Oh, I suppose on most days I'd be inclined to put saving the environment over the economy. But it'd be nice to save both, wouldn't it? --Jim Broede

Oil doesn't come cheap.

Well, the drill baby drill folks such as Sarah Palin have made a point. There's oil out there. Just offshore. Beneath the sea. And now very much in the Gulf of Mexico. By latest measurement, an oil slick as big as the state of West Virginia. And at the rate it's flowing, maybe soon as big as the entire Gulf of Mexico. Something like 5,000 barrels of oil pouring into the sea daily. Because of an accident on an oil rig. Took 11 lives, too. And the environmental damage keeps mounting. But hey, that's the price one has to pay. Oil doesn't come cheap. --Jim Broede

Who's playing the race card?

I see the Republicans are accusing Obama of playing the race card. Because he's encouraging Hispanics and blacks to get out and vote in the November election. For Democrats, of course. Yes, if Republicans had their way, they'd deny blacks and Hispanics the right to vote. The GOP would just as soon have only white people voting. Especially white bigots. --Jim Broede

Having one's priorities straight.

I think I'd have confidence in a doctor in France willing to live on $40,000 a year. I'd consider him/her a unique individual. A unique doctor. Yes, a doctor who has his/her priorities straight. --Jim Broede

Being rich in meaningful ways.

There are some countries in which education is a right. Fancy that. Health care, too. Fantastic, isn't it? Yes, genuinely civilized countries. Imagine that. A right to an education and health care. Even if you are monetarily poor. It's still possible to be rich in meaningful ways. --Jim Broede

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A case for amnesty.

I don't know all that many illegal immigrants. But I suspect that if I knew 'em all, I'd like their nature. And their sense of adventure. Made a decision to leave their homeland and find a new life in the USA. That takes some gumption. And I'm happy to see that they think there's a better life here. Not always an easy life. Especially initially. Having to be very careful. Since they are illegal. In America, we've generally welcomed immigrants. But maybe not so much anymore. I suspect that's because most of 'em aren't white. They're Hispanics. And we've been known to treat non-whites rather harshly. That's a stain on our national identity. But I'm looking forward to the day when whites are no longer the majority. And we could hasten the coming of that wonderful day by giving amnesty to the illegals. --Jim Broede

We are suckers. Stupid suckers.

We Americans have been brought up thinking that capitalism is the finest economy in the world. And we aren't gonna change our mind until capitalism fails. Miserably. It's coming close. But we keep bailing out the greedy capitalists. The bankers. Wall Street. We give 'em a second chance. A third chance. A fourth chance. I don't know how many chances it'll take until we get the message. Capitalists are a greedy lot. And a powerful lot. They know how to maneuever. And manipulate. They milk the system for all it's worth. Just the way the slave owners used to maneuver and manipulate. Morality didn't matter. The fact that people were being exploited. That didn't matter either. Because a majority of the populace was sold a bill of goods. Told that this was the American way. And that America was the greatest and grandest country in the world. And that it was all right to have an apartheid system. Socially. Politically. Economically. Even women bought into their second class status for the longest time. Until well into the 20th century. The elite white men were in control. Mostly, the rich white men. The business tycoons. We've almost had an economic collapse equal to the Great Depression. But still, that hasn't yet scared us enough to change our ways. Because government bailed out the greedy capitalists. And the Republicans, at least, are saying we'll give you another chance. We don't want to regulate you. We want you to have a freehand. The market will control itself. No need for government regulation. Oh, my gawd! We still haven't learned our lesson. We are still committed to a capitalist economy. Unregulated. That's what the bankers tell us. Every day. That's the American way. The right way. And we believe 'em. Because we Americans are a gullible lot. We are suckers. Stupid suckers. --Jim Broede

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Wow! Hernia surgery cost $7,024.

I think the cost of health/medical care in the USA is outlandish. Over-priced. Of course, what do I know? Maybe not enough. I went in for hernia surgery in March. In and out of the hospital in 3 hours. The actual surgery took about an hour. Turns out the bill was $7,024. Fortunately, all but $17 was covered by Medicare and my private supplemental insurance. But imagine if I were one of the 50 million uninsured Americans. That kind of bill would set me back apiece. I'm gonna ask for an itemized bill. So I can study it. I suppose I won't raise a fuss. Because I have insurance. But I'd like my insurers to do something about the USA having the highest cost of medical care in the world. Yet we're not the healthiest nation. Many countries that spend far less than us have better results. Several years ago my Jeanne fell and broke a wrist in Germany. The hospital and doctor's bill for piecing together the fracture (with three pins) was about $500. When Jeanne had those pins removed in the USA, the bill was several thousand dollars. Fortunately, the insurance covered it all. But if it hadn't, we'd have been better off returning to Germany for care. We'd have saved money, even with having to buy round-trip plane tickets. --Jim Broede

All the more power to 'em.

We've got far bigger national problems in the USA than illegal immigration. Personally, it doesn't bother me if we have people sneaking in. Especially if they are looking for a better life. I say all the more power to 'em. I never met an illegal immigrant I didn't like. On the other hand, I've met a few legal Americans I didn't particularly like. --Jim Broede

They want to make me conform.

I have a feeling that my severest critics want to make a comformist of me. To make me fall in line. To make me behave by their rules. --Jim Broede

I need to be different.

I really don't want to change people. And certainly, I don't want people to be like me. Because I have an overwhelming desire to be different. If everybody were like me, I couldn't be different. And that would be terribly upsetting. --Jim Broede

Monday, April 26, 2010

The most effective bullshit.

Our national mid-term election is only 6 months away. And the polls indicate that the Democrats are falling out of favor. And that maybe the Republicans are rebounding. Which, of course, is very sad. But if Democrats are smart, they'll spend the next half year bad-mouthing the Republicans. In the same vociferous way that the Republicans chastise the Democrats. It's time for an unholy political war. No holds barred. Yes, let it get downright nasty. Smart politicians know that the American electorate tends to be stupid. And ill-informed on issues. Therefore, public opinion is largely formed from simple sound bites. Calculated to sway the idiot majority. If that sounds cynical -- well, it is. That's exactly what we've come down to in good old America. We believe anything we're told. That is, if we are told often enough. We really don't have the ability to objectively analyze issues. And come to an intelligent conclusion. Yes, in the end, the winners are the ones with the most effective bullshit. --Jim Broede

You'll have to forgive me.

I sense that many of my fellow Americans are uptight. Nervous. Insecure. Worried. Stressed. At least that goes for many of you anonymous people that submit comments for this blog. That's really too bad. You seem to think that immigrants are taking over our country. Or that Barack Obama is a socialist. Maybe even a foreign-born Muslim. And you think that universal health care will be the ruination of the nation. Because everybody will be required to have health insurance. And you think I'm a low-down jerk for suggesting that some Alzheimer care-givers are cry babies and whiners. Yes, most of you seem to be unhappy. Maybe even in depression. Quite possibly, it's the economy that has you lamenting. You think the sky is falling. And you suggest I'm nuts for being an optimist. For being in love. Not only with my girlfriend. But with life in general. But I can't help it. That's my nature. So you'll have to forgive me. For being what I am. Me. --Jim Broede

Let's not dilly-dally around.

Could be that women have a tendency to skirt around a problem and use consoling and comforting tactics and techniques. And maybe men would rather get directly to the fix. Rather than dilly-dally around. I find that many women, not all, lie to themselves. --Jim Broede

Meaningful things.

The problem with many Alzheimer care-givers is that they haven't learned to savor the little things. If they did, they'd learn that little things are really big things. Significant things. Meaningful things. --Jim Broede

Something to notice.

Have you noticed? I really like to annoy unhappy people. Because they tend to be annoying. And maybe if they are annoyed enough, they learn to become happy. Because it feels so much better. They just get sick and tired of being annoyed. And being unhappy. --Jim Broede

Could be a fool isn't a fool.

Even when I'm wrong about something, I can be right. Maybe that doesn't seem to make sense. But that's the way I look at life. It's nice to be wrong. To make mistakes. Because I often use mistakes as learning experiences. I'm feeling my way. So I dare be wrong. That doesn't scare me in the least bit. I even like to be a fool. Because sometimes fools are right. They just appear to be wrong. In the eyes of others. Turns out that the others don't know better. And the fool really isn't a fool. He really knows what he's doing. --Jim Broede

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Doing what's best for the team.

Carlos Zambrano is a strange guy. And a good pitcher. For the Chicago Cubs. But he's a head case. Like so many Cubs players. He could be a much better pitcher. If ever he got his head together. Maybe he even could be the best pitcher in the National League. But Zambrano lets little things bother him. For instance, if a player makes an error behind him, that may be enough to throw him off his game. He gets upset easily. Anyway, so far this season, he has an excessively high earned run average. As a starting pitcher. So the Cubs have decided to make a relief pitcher of the well-paid Zambrano. The plan is to use him as a set-up man for the Cubs closer. Which means Zambrano most likely will come in to pitch the 8th inning. In other words, he'd make brief but more frequent appearances. Never pitching for more than an inning or two at a time. I think it's a smart move. One that's best for the team. Not necessarily for Zambrano's ego. He probably would rather be a starting pitcher. It's more prestigious. So Zambrano's ego may come into play here. We'll see. But I'm hoping Zambrano decides he'll do what's best for the team. By trying to become the best set-up man in baseball. --Jim Broede

Choosing to be happy.

Come to think of it. There's more for me to savor in a joyful manner than to lament or complain about. And I've also learned to savor my ability to gripe. I really enjoy it all. All facets of life. Simple, isn't it? One can just choose to be happy. --Jim Broede

Life never ends. It's eternal.

I dislike funerals. The somber kind, at least. I'd rather hold a celebration. Of a life. If I think it's gonna be a funeral, I don't attend. But you can lure me to a celebration. When Jeanne died, there was no funeral. No nothing. I wasn't up to anything at the time. No mourning. No celebration. I think that's the way Jeanne would have wanted it. No fuss. Instead, it's up to Jeanne's friends and acquaintances to deal with remembrances any way they choose. Individually. Maybe in a hundred different ways. I just assume that Jeanne still lives. In another dimension. One that I can't even fully comprehend. Jeanne is still Jeanne. In one form or another. In that sense, Jeanne never died. Life is on-going. Life never ends. It's eternal. --Jim Broede

Life is a grand journey, isn't it?

I think we have a problem dealing with death. Accepting death as a part of life. I see that when I mix with Alzheimer care-givers. They are, for the most part, a sad lot. Because they see death approaching a little bit at a time. With the loss of the mind. Diminished consciousness. Their loved ones turn into zombies, of sort. Thing is death comes in many ways. Slow and gradual. And quickly, too. Some seemingly healthy people just drop dead. Here one minute. Gone the next. We don't like to watch the agony of dying. We'd like it to be over with. Because it's unpleasant. One might say that it's a living hell. But then that's the price we pay for living. We have precious moments of heaven and bliss. And then glimpses of hell, too. But overall, life is a grand and pleasant journey, isn't it? --Jim Broede

Thank gawd for the accidents.

In the world of politics, it becomes a case of the stupid leading the stupid. When that happens, we plunge over a cliff. We Americans are notorious for that. We are political idiots. Nintey percent of the time we put idiots in charge. If a non-idiot makes it into a position of responsibility, it's only by accident. Thank gawd for the occasional accidents. --Jim Broede

How do we get around this?

We don't want to talk about certain subjects because they are upsetting. Therefore, we skirt around the truth. We don't face up to reality. I find that especially goes for Alzheimer care-givers. Many of 'em don't know what they are doing. And they resent being told that. They just want to be coddled. In a sense, they want to be treated like a patient. So we create two patients. Rather than a patient and a care-giver. Two sick people. Often, the care-giver needs as much care as the patient. And the question should be, how do we get around this? It almost becomes the blind leading the blind. --Jim Broede

Saturday, April 24, 2010

So much to complain about.

I guess I'm a chronic complainer. I've complained about my Chicago Cubs baseball team ever since I was a kid. Complained that they haven't been to a World Series since 1945. And haven't won a World Series since 1908. People say I should do something about my complaints. To fix things. But hey, some things are beyond fixing. Such as the Cubs. They most likely won't get to another World Series in my lifetime. Even if I live to be 1,000. And I can't do anything about that. Except complain. Same goes for lots of things going on in this world. For instance, I don't like wars. I think they're disgusting. And immoral. But it's beyond me to stop or prevent wars. So I gotta live with 'em. And just complain. Yes, complain, complain, complain. Endlessly. Little wonder that I've become a chronic complainer. There's so much to complain about. --Jim Broede

We're really earthlings.

I like the notion of a world without borders. Maybe that would solve our so-called immigration problems. By allowing more freedom of movement. In which the world becomes one big country. Then maybe we don't have to think of ourselves as Canadians or Americans or Mexicans. We just move about. Like we do now in the USA. If I want to move from Minnesota to California, I just do it. I don't have to get a green card or get the permission of a state government official. Maybe when we discover life on billions of other planets in the cosmos, we'll begin to think of ourselves as earthlings. Won't make any difference whether we are French, German or Italian. We're really earthlings. Residing on a particular planet. --Jim Broede

Give me a break.

This matter called sensitivity. It intrigues me. I think I'm sensitive. Quite sensitive. But others accuse me of being insensitive. Maybe it's because I draw lines. I see all kinds of insensitivity around me. Perpetrated in so many, many ways. The fact that we Americans seem insensitive to the common good. We just care about our individual selves and maybe a few loved ones around us. And we ignore the common good. We don't think on a societal level. We're awfully parochial. Just think. Our nation was born in a cradle of arrogance. We proclaimed that all men were created equal. But we had a slave economy. We classified black people as only three-fifths of a human being. Maybe equal to a chimpanzee or ape. We denied women basic civil and human rights until well into the 20th century. Yes, we've been a gawd-awful, insensitive society. And then we have the audacity to brag that we're the greatest nation on Earth. Give me a break. I don't buy it. I suppose that makes me insensitive. --Jim Broede

Friday, April 23, 2010

Collectives ain't all that bad.

Several of my politically conservative friends lament the ‘collectivist mentality’ in the USA. Claiming the individual should come first. And that maybe we are marching too much in lockstep. Of course, I think there’s room for both. For individual freedom and collectives. For a nice balance. Sometimes, circumstances call for we Americans to pull together. Rather than go off on our individual ways. For instance, when we go to war. It should be a collective effort. Not left to less than 1 percent of the population to fight. Or when it comes to providing health care. Let’s have it universal. So everybody gets covered. Yes, pool our resources. Let’s have a collectivist plan that severely limits profits. Doing what’s good for society as a whole. We shouldn’t let everyone go off willy-nilly and do as they please. Take the bankers on Wall Street, for instance. They don’t have an inherent right to bilk us. But they will. Unless we as a collectivist society see to it that they are regulated. I’m for individual freedoms. Particularly freedom of speech and freedom of thought. But I’m willing to surrender some of my ‘freedoms’ for the sake of benefiting society. For the common good. I’m even willing to be taxed. And to obey laws that require me to buy car insurance and health insurance. I’d even consider joining a collective to pay for it all. Really, collectives ain’t all that bad. –Jim Broede

A notion that I can't dispute.

The traditional far right wing of the Republican Party has been replaced. By an even farther right wing. Known as the lunatic fringe. Which makes the old right wing look like liberals. Maybe even socialists. That's how far the Republicans have shifted to the right. Virtually out of sight from the sane world. The lunatics are more or less opposed to government. Period. Makes me think they have moved so far to the right that they now border on the far, far, far left. They have become Anarchists. It's a sign of insanity. Little wonder that it's called the lunatic fringe. But in America, we don't commit lunatics to insane asylums any more. We try to keep them community based. Thinking this is a more compassionate form of treatment. But the irony of it all is that the lunatic Republicans want to turn America into a lunatic asylum. And yes, put the lunatics in charge. Of course, that's a preposterous idea. Utterly insane. But the lunatics counter that in a democracy, the majority should rule. And that the lunatics are a solid majority. A notion that I can't dispute. --Jim Broede

I'd roll out a red carpet.

My gawd. What is America coming to? In Arizona, there's legislation about to be adopted requiring anybody who looks like an immigrant to carry papers. Proving that he/she is here legally. Sort of like what the Nazis did to the Jews. They had to carry identification papers. At all times. We Americans have this mania that we are being invaded by illegal immigrants. We even want to build a high fence topped with barbed wire along the USA-Mexican border. Yes, the equivalent of the Berlin Wall. To make it more difficult for Mexicans to cross over. The way I look at it, if someone is here illegally, they'll be discovered sooner or later. Meanwhile, it's no big deal. Let 'em stay. Chances are 99 percent of 'em came here for a better life. I suspect that my paternal German-born grandfather sneaked in to the USA illegally around 1900. And I figure, all the more power to him. Because he was in search of the good life. The same as some Hispanics. Instead of a fence along our borders, I'd roll out a red carpet. --Jim Broede

I've got it all.

I'm fascinated by Italy. And Italians. Interesting how that happened. I just happened to visit Italy. For the first time. Summer before last. And I got to know an Italian. Quite well. And I went to Venice and Trieste and the Italian Alps. And I've been exploring the Italian culture ever since. Golly, I'm learning that I missed so much. Oh, I've been enamored with Germany and the Czech Republic, too. Because that's where my ancestors came from. But now I feel an attachment to Italy. And all things Italian. The scenery. The language. And the food. I used to think that German food was the best. No more. German food is good. Very good. But Italian food is supreme. The best. Anyway, I have attachments. To the USA, of course. But to Deutchland and Czechoslovakia and now, Italia. What a magnificent blend. I'm planning on going to Eastern Europe. This summer. To Prague. To Budapest. To Cracow. Traveling with an Italian. Makes me think I've got it all. Certainly, nothing less than happiness. --Jim Broede

I've got my own soapbox.

I think everybody should have a blog. A place to go to daily. To say what's on one's mind. To express one's self. In sort of a public forum. It's good for the human soul. Too many of us are afraid to speak our minds. And our hearts. A blog is a place to be funny. And serious, too. To be a little bit naked. If not totally naked. I like to commit to the written word. It's solid. It can be read. Grasped. Misinterpreted. Calming. Annoying. My blog attracts a relative handful of people. People that like me. People that despise me. I like the blog. Because I have control over it. I can say what I want. But I don't necessarily have to allow idiots to have their say. Some idiots think they are entitled to speak in my blog. Maybe that's why they are idiots. They don't know better. Actually, most idiots are unaware that they are idiots. That's why they are idiots. If they knew, they'd wise up. Anyway, I'm allowed to say what I want to say here. If I went to another blog or web site, they'd too often try to censor me. Put restrictions on me. But I get around that. I suppose I could just as well go to the local park and get up on a soapbox and talk. I think they do that at a park in London. It's a nice practice. But hey, I've got my own soapbox right here. My blog. --Jim Broede

Thursday, April 22, 2010

I felt privileged.

I think we have lots of babies in this world. Adults who feel sorry for themselves. I'll talk to them occasionally. To try to cheer 'em up. But they don't want that. They want me and the whole world to feel sorry for 'em. I refuse to do that. Some of 'em are Alzheimer care-givers. I tend to feel sorry for their patients. And I sympathize with the plight of care-givers. But feeling sorry -- well, that's another thing. Some care-givers have a martyr complex. But I think there's a difference between being the victim of Alzheimer's, and being a care-giver. Sort of like being a nurse. In a hospital. Sure beats being the patient. Especially a dying patient. I was a care-giver for my dear Jeanne for 13 years. And initially, I felt sorry for myself. But that was misplaced. I eventually learned not to feel sorry. I actually learned to focus intently on Jeanne. And the horror of her having to live with Alzheimer's. And in the end, I felt privileged for serving as Jeanne's primary care-giver. Because she was the love of my life. No reason to feel sorry about that. --Jim Broede

The most wonderful freedom of all.

An anonymous contributor is trying to tell me I'm not really free and that I'm not any better than anyone else. But he/she is wrong. I am free. And I am better than a lot of people. For instance, I think I'm better off than a dead man. Just being alive puts me in a better position to be free. Free to do things that a dead man can't do. I am also free to write just about anything I want to write in this blog. That's nice. Gives me a true sense of freedom. Of course, I'm not free to go to someone else's blog and write anything I want to write there. But I have no complaints about that. Because I want the other bloggers to be free to control their own blogs and web sites. I'm also free to think what I want to think. That's the most wonderful freedom of all. --Jim Broede

Another name for the team good.

I've gotta give my Chicago Cubs credit. For being innovative. The team has strengths. And plenty of weaknesses, too. For instance, the starting pitching is among the best in baseball. But the relief pitching is atrocious. The Cubs routinely blow games in the late innings. So after 14 games, the Cubs have decided to take their highest paid ace starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano and turn him into a one-inning set-up man. To pretty much pitch only the 8th inning. To get the game to the Cubs effective 9th inning closer. I don't know if it'll work. But it's worth a try. Some baseball writers in Chicago think it's folly. Stupid. But they ain't imaginative. As far as I'm concerned, nothing ventured, nothing gained. The Cubs are merely trying to take one of the team's strengths and use it to fix a weakness. It's simple. The Cubs have an excess of starting pitching and a severe lack of relief pitching. Yes, I'd borrow from Peter to pay Paul. Just the way we need to run society. I want the rich to help the poor. Let's spread the wealth. Let's serve the common good. Which is another name for the team good. --Jim Broede

All I can say, it's phenomenal.

I hardly ever miss a day of posting in my blog. And it gives me a sense of freedom. To be able to say just about anything. In writing. Maybe the best part of it is that I've cultivated several personal contacts. We've come to know each other. In nice ways. But also, there have been a few anonymous jerks. Which is all right. Because they are interesting psychological studies. I think the blog has been a good modern-day invention. In a sense, it allows everyone an opportunity to be published. To have a say. Maybe a little like living on a desert island. And sending out a message. In a bottle. The nice thing about a blog, however, is that occasionally a few bottles with messages float ashore on my island. It's a novel way to communicate. Because the blog branches out to other forms of dialogue. Direct. One-on-one. I end up meeting people. Directly. In person. Face to face. And it all starts slowly. With a few written words. Maybe a phone call or two. And alas. Discovery. Used to be that it took a relatively long time to exchange the written word. Letters that took weeks to be delivered. Now it's instant exchanges. Maybe six letters in a single day. Wow! The written word has taken on more significance. It narrows the distance. No longer is geographic separation a handicap. I'm in daily touch with an Italian. By audio-video hook-up. On the Internet. We've arrived in the modern age. And I like it. Sure, the technology frustrates me at times. But hey, I'm mastering it. Because I'm able to go to Italy daily. All I can say, it's phenomenal. --Jim Broede

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The opportunity to live forever.

I think animals have souls. That a soul is something basic. In all living things. I have no indisputable proof that a soul exists. But I sense it. A soul is something like love. I know that love exists. Because I feel it. Just as I feel that I have a soul. And so do animals. I'm assuming, too, that a soul has a sort of permanence. A soul doesn't die. Unless it be voluntarily. Sort of a suicide of a soul. Some souls may just get tired of being a soul, and being reincarnated into a physical life. Therefore, a soul can choose to be dormant. Virtually dead. In order to get rest. If souls exist in animals, that means we never really totally and completely kill an animal. Even when we use the animal's flesh for food. The animal's soul may even end up some day in a human being, or in still higher forms of life. Maybe on another planet in another solar system or in a totally new dimension. I like the notion of a soul. Because it gives me the opportunity to live forever. --Jim Broede

There really are no limits.

I like it when people try to censor me. Because then I know I've pissed them off. It's really a moral victory. Makes me rather smug to be censored. Because then I know I've pushed to the limits. And I'm always trying to push and shove a bit beyond the existing limits. In order to create new limits. Stretch. Stretch. Stretch. When I see a horizon, I like to go to the end of it. Where I always discover still another horizon. Yes, a new horizon. That's the purpose of life, isn't it? To discover. To explore. To learn/know that there really are no limits. --Jim Broede

Why not?

I really don't know if I'm a socialist. Certainly, I have to admit that I sound a lot like a socialist. But I've never joined the party. I tend to not be a joiner. I never joined the Democratic Party. Or the Republican Party. Or much of anything. I did join the Nataional Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Albeit, I'm white. And I'm sure I'd never join an organization called the National Association for the Advancement of White People. I suppose I consider myself an independent. But I never joined an Independent Party. Because then I'd lose my independence. I like to defend socialism. If for no other reason than so many Americans seem to be against it. On the other hand, if I lived in a socialist society, I might be against socialism. Just for the sake of being obstinate. Why not? --Jim Broede

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Maybe the GOP has seen the light.

Ah, it looks like some Republicans are coming to their senses. And they will decide to support increased regulations on Wall Street. Which is long overdue. For a while, it looked like Republicans were against financial reform. Favoring instead, pretty much the same lax oversight that almost led to a total collapse of the economy. If Republicans give in, it'll be a great victory for Barack Obama and the Democrats and the American people. Republicans have been obstructionists. Especially on health care reform. If the same pattern continues on financial reform, it could be bad for the country. Maybe even leading to another disastrous crisis. Let's hope that the Republicans have finally seen the light. --Jim Broede

When it really isn't love anymore.

I'm more or less accepting the fact that my Chicago Cubs baseball team is mediocre. Not bad. Not good. Just run-of-the-mill mediocre. At the beginning of every season I delude myself. Into thinking that maybe this is the year that the Cubs excel. And go to the World Series for the first time since 1945. And to win it all for the first time since 1908. But alas, once again, the Cubs will become loveable losers. That's the consolation. To be loveable. And maybe that's even better than winning and being unloveable. True love, you know, requires unconditional acceptance. In that sense, the Cubs have been good teachers. They put me to a test season after season after season. Endlessly. If I require the Cubs to be winners to obtain my love, it really isn't true love. --Jim Broede

Wow! Life is fantastic.

I think there are many forms of life. Intelligent life. Throughout the cosmos. Just think. There are billions of galaxies and billions of suns in each galaxy. And presumably billions of planets in a single galaxy. All of creation must be teeming with life. Different forms of life. Much of it superior to we humans. We could well be one of the lower forms of life. And I also think there are other dimensions. And life doesn't necessarily have to be physical. And some forms of life are so vastly superior to us that we can't even begin to comprehend it. I suspect I have lived before. In many different forms. I believe it. Because I want to believe it. And I believe in a mystical spirit life. Again, because I want to believe it. Life. Life. Life. It's wonderful. It makes one aware. Conscious. Full of thought. And ideas. I'm even able to grasp the concept of love. And to pursue it. Embrace it. Savor it. Wow! Life is fantastic. --Jim

The stuff on which idiots thrive.

The proliferation of news sources through the Internet and cable may be a good thing. But also, it could be having bad effects. On the one hand, it gives us more opportunity to educate ourselves. To become well-informed. But also, it gives us opportunity to cultivate idiocy. For instance, we can choose to go to idiot web sites and idiot channels to get our news. Slanted. Programmed. To keep us idiots forever and ever. If an idiot is allowed to choose his source, he'll run off to Fox News, And listen to the likes of Glenn Beck. Or he'll tune in radio commentator Rush Limbaugh. Or he'll fall in love with nonsensical, empty-headed Sarah Palin. In other words, idiots will tend to go to idiots. To idolize his/her fellow idiots. In the old days, people went to the stable channels for their news. The major networks. And to daily newspapers. And generally speaking, most of 'em gave us some semblnce of balance and objectivity. We've lost that in many, many of the media outlets. We are fed what we want to consume. Rather than what we ought to consume. And many of us will settle for a steady diet of crap. Yes, bull shit. The very stuff on which idiots thrive. --Jim Broede

Monday, April 19, 2010

The defining of friendship.

I’ve been asked, ‘How do we know whether we are friends?’ Depends. On how we define the term. If it’s a rather loose and flexible definition, we’re friends. If it’s a more stringent application, we're more likely to be acquaintances. Therefore, our status with each other could change from day to day. I used to hold to the notion that maybe one has only one or two true friends in a lifetime. And maybe some of us go through life without a real friend. That’s if we define friendship as something unconditional. Similar to unconditional love. In other words, if a ‘friend’ even betrayed me, he/she would remain a friend. If that’s not true, then we are merely acquaintances. Anyway, I’m assuming that I have a nice handful of friends. People that I would stick by. And I think, that for the most part, they’d stick by me. Friendships are built. Generally over a long period of time. Often, over a lifetime. Overnight friendships are rare, if ever. Albeit, I’ve had an innate sense of trust from the very beginning with several friends. An instant connection. A feeling that this was evolving into a true friendship. –Jim Broede

The big, bad capitalist swine.

My friend Maebee is sounding a bit paranoid. She thinks of government, and especially government regulators, as the enemy. I think of government as a potential friend. My protector against the big, bad capitalist swine. And that includes bankers. Which, oddly enough, Maebee depicts as the good guys. --Jim Broede

Silence is a virtue.

I suspect that silence is a virtue. Or at least, it can be. Because when one is talking, it's difficult to listen. I have the so-called gift of gab. Maybe that would make me effective on the radio. Where silence often is considered a waste of good air time. But in relationships with other beings, silence is of immense importance. Because it often is a sign of listening. And maybe there's no better way to learn, than by listening. --Jim Broede

Baseball is reflective of life.

I like baseball. In large part because it's a team sport. Nine players. And they have to find a way to function. Together. One weak link and it can cost a game. Generally, all goes well if the pitching is strong. And the hitting is timely. And everybody plays good defense. If the hitting isn't good, though, one can still win with good pitching. And vice versa. And there's an element of luck, too. A weak roller that a hitter beats out at the right moment can be better than a homerun in a one-sided game. Yes, it's a game of skill. And a game of chance. Baseball is reflective of life. --Jim Broede

They only think they're serious.

I have days when I don't want to be serious. About almost anything. Have you ever had days like that? I think that at times one can lose track of the lighter side of life. Life really is funny. Even in troubled times. So pardon me if I laugh. At the same time that others are crying. Take the debates over health care reform and regulation of Wall Street. Many of the proposals have been downright stupid. Which makes them terribly funny. Republicans repeatedly threaten filibusters. In an attempt to block legislation. What can be more funny than that? To actually talk any action to death. Yap. Yap. Yap. None of it makes sense. So why take it seriously? We have idiots running the show. It's almost like watching a Three Stooges comedy routine. Only in this case, it's something like 435 congressmen and 100 senators. All getting in on the slapstick act. Pretending to be serious. Come on now. They ain't serious. They only think they're serious. That makes 'em awfully funny. --Jim Broede

Sunday, April 18, 2010

From both ends of the spectrum.

Ted Kennedy became one of my favorite politicians. It helped that he was a liberal. But I liked him for far more than that. I think he turned out to be a pretty decent guy. Maybe he wasn't that when he was younger. And just starting out in politics. But as he aged, Kennedy seemed to develop a conscience. He tended to do the right thing. He became loyal to his friends. And strangers, too. He worked for the common good. Which is a marvel for a rich man born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Kennedy became an idealist. Stood up for what he believed in. But he also became friends with political conservatives. He worked with them to construct compromises. It'd be nice if we had more politicians like him. From both ends of the spectrum. --Jim Broede

The mean-spirited ones.

I dislike mean-spirited people. And there are plenty of 'em around. Especially in the world of politics. Some of the meanest people I've ever known have been politicians. Maybe it's because they have a lust for power. They'd sell their souls to get ahead. That tells me something. They wouldn't hesitate to screw me. And for that matter, anyone that stood in their way. Of course, not every politician is evil. Some actually work for the common good. But they are few and far between. Greedy capitalists are mean-spirited, too. They have an insatiable desire for money, and more money. And to get it, they'll do almost anything. They never have enough. They would steal money even from their own mothers. --Jim Broede

Learning to accept my fate.

I venture into many domains. Without fear. Even into places inhabited mostly by unhappy people. I don't know exactly why I do it. Maybe it's because I'm intrigued by unhappiness. And its cause. Often, I understand. For instance, on the Alzheimer's message boards. The morose. The depressed. Even the suicidal are there. Being a care-giver to an Alzheimer patient isn't easy. Especially if it happens to be a loved one. And I try to spread cheer. Hope. No, the patient ain't gonna get better. They all get worse. And die. But I suggest, put it all in perspective. We all die. Sooner or later. Some deaths, of course, are more gruesome than others. But still, dying is dying. It's the price we pay for the privilege of living. At least, most Alzheimer patients live to a ripe old age. Many into their 80s and 90s. Let's say it happens to me some day. I'm 74 now. Life has been pretty good. Should I lament the fact that I have to die? Some day. Fact of the matter is that I have no choice. So I gotta try to learn to accept my fate. And meanwhile try to live a reasonably happy life. --Jim Broede

I have a choice.

I'm fully capable of being disappointed. In events. In people. But never for long. Because I get on with things. With life. Makes no sense in wallowing. In lamenting for a prolonged period. Always, I find a way to relieve my disappointment. Mainly, it's a recognition that I can't control events and people. Things just happen. And it's up to me to adjust. To take everything in stride. Oh, there are things over which I have control. Such as my attitude. I can be positive. I can be negative. I have a choice. If I'm disappointed in something that happened today, I try to get it off my mind. By finding something joyful or wonderful. And focusing on it. Often, all I have to do is sit down. And write. A little piece. Such as this. --Jim Broede

The ability to find love.

I used to think that I had to change the world. That was to be the purpose of my life. But as I got older, I learned that it's more a case of having to change me. To adapt to the world in which I find myself. I don't have to like it. But so much of it I can ignore. I can isolate myself. And in the process, I can pursue happiness. It all comes down to attitude. I am beginning to think of myself as a creator. Sort of like god, in many ways. I have created an existence. My existence. By feeling my way. And discovering that the real god gave me the ability to find love. And to cultivate love. --Jim Broede

Our saving grace. Our salvation.

Maybe I sound depressed. Because I don't have much faith in people coming together to work for the common good of society. It'll never happen. In the long run, we'll destroy ourselves. We'll wreck the world in which we live. But still, I'm an optimist. Because I have the freedom to salvage something from the mess. By pursuing happiness. Love. In so many ways, I can isolate myself from the many conflagrations in this world. By building a cocoon, of sorts. Retreating from the harder realities. And making for a good life. With another human being. Yes, there is nothing better than a solid one-on-one relationship. It's our saving grace. Our salvation. --Jim Broede

We're on a suicidal path.

I think we Americans have bad attitudes. We tend to be defeatists. And we don't trust each other. At least that seems to be the case on the governmental level. We are basically divided into two hostile camps. The Democrats. The Republicans. Used to be that members of both political parties had respect for each other. They even socialized. But no more. In many instances, they have learned to hate each other. It's as if the Civil War never ended. We each want our own way. No give and take. We are even starting to organize militias. Readying ourselves for armed conflict. Used to be that the enemy was the communists. The outsiders. Oh, we take on the Muslim terrorists. But we also have our home-grown terrorists. From the lunatic fringes. Yes, we Americans are bent on destroying ourselves. From within. We aren't gonna leave it to outsiders. We'll show the world. America is fully capable of committing suicide. --Jim Broede

We are incapable of learning.

I can hardly wait to see our politicians deal with the matter of financial regulation/reform. So that the crap on Wall Street doesn't happen again. Actually, I expect them to botch the job. The majority Democrats will submit a plan. Actual legislation. And the Republicans will stand united. Opposed to everything. Even to the point of filibustering the reform. And the bankers and brokers will continue to go unregulated. And we'll end up with another botched economy. Only next time, it'll be worse. Because we are incapable of learning our lesson. -Jim Broede

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Racists are foaming at the mouth.

Sure, it was a good sign that Barack Obama was elected president. But still, racism is a significant thorn in America's side. Far too many Americans don't want Obama to be president. Merely because he's black. That's as racist as racist can be. Many racists won't admit that they are racists. But it's all too obvious. You can see it on their faces. Especially when they start foaming at the mouth. That's one reason why the Ku Klux Klan wore hoods over their heads. So the foam wouldn't show. --Jim Broede

With a slingshot, no less.

America the mighty. Well, maybe not so mighty when it comes to dealing with terrorists. As I see it, terrorists have taunted the USA. Pecked away. Made our people and government officials over-react to the taunts. Even to the point of waging wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Which may eventually bankrupt the nation. And the wars have cost more American lives than the terrorists have taken with their murderous assaults. In a sense, we have committed acts as immoral and atrocious as those of terrorists. Yes, we've taken many innocent lives. So-called collateral damage. The war in Afghanistan has been waged for 9 years, and counting. And there seems to be no end to it. If I were a terrorist, I'd be rubbing my hands in glee. With all this wasteful spending by my enemy. Funny, isn't it? We Americans are defeating ourselves. While Osama bin Laden watches from the safety of his ringside seat in a cave in Pakistan. Of course, we should have recognized bin Laden and the terrorists as criminals. Right from the start. Not soldiers. Not combatants. But the equivalent of low-life gangsters. And we should have waged an international police action to bring 'em all to justice. To go to war over this crap was utter nonsense. It glorified the terrorists. Stupid. But it started with our most stupid president ever. The nincompoop, George Bush. And it's all continued to escalate. Even under the new Democratic administration. And even with widespread public support. Yes, we Americans are as stupid as our leaders. We have to be. Look at the evidence. We allowed Bush to steal the first election. And then we elected him to a second term. And now that we have an intelligent man as president, many of us mistakenly label him a socialist. And some of us even resent that he's black. Not white. Yes, we're racists. Just what some of the terrorists call us. And they're right on that score. Little wonder that we are a nation on the decline. We are no longer the leader of the free world. We are too stupid to lead. Instead, we have been duped. By the terrorists. A case of mighty Goliath being felled by David. With a slingshot, no less. --Jim Broede

Friday, April 16, 2010

Which place is the true heaven?

The lust for money. Seems to me that will be the ruination of my country. And that's sad. Too many people want to get monetarily rich. Very rich. Filthy rich. And they will stop at nothing to get everything they want. Many of 'em are on Wall Street. They know how to manipulate the financial system. Even if more regulations are imposed by the government. That will be no deterent. They can find loopholes. Their motivation in life is to fully and completely milk the system. To make more and more money. That's their sole purpose. Why they get up in the morning and go to work. To rake in many times more capital than they'll ever need. The most greedy of the lot make millions of dollars in a single transaction. Huge killings on the financial markets. Money. Money. Money. Unimaginable thrills. Orgasms that far surpass the sexual ones. Orgasms that last and last and last. For days and weeks and months and years. It's like going to financial heaven. To financial paradise. Makes them feel alive and exuberant. Doesn't matter that their maneuverings and manipulations may lead to the financial collapse of society and a nation. To another Great Depression. At least they got their's. They walk away with big cash bonuses. With golden parachutes. And the satisfaction of being a successful Wall Street god/broker/banker. Maybe they won't ever make it to the heaven described by a dreamer named Jesus. But that's all right with the Wall Street crowd. To them, Jesus' heaven sounded more like a place for the poor and the meek and the destitute. Yes, more like hell. Those poor saps in Jesus' heaven tend to be rich only in spirit. They have no need or desire for money. Makes one wonder. Which place is the true heaven? --Jim Broede

Disagreement is always good.

I like it when people disagree with me. Because often, it shows me they are wrong. And that I am right. Therefore, the disagreement fortifies my belief. But occasionally, I find that I'm wrong and they are right. And that makes me feel good, too. Because I've been helped in correcting the errors of my way. Shows me I'm open-minded. And really, not so stubborn. But then again, it's also nice knowing that I was mostly right. And others were mostly wrong. When I think in this manner, it helps me come to the conclusion that disagreement is always good. Because I give it a positive twist. --Jim Broede

Doesn't matter what day it is.

I like to think of every day as unique. Such as April 16, 2010. Today. I've never lived this day before. And here it is, 7:27 a.m. I have a friend. In Italy. Where it's 2:27 p.m. Imagine that. She's 7 hours ahead of me. So she'll arrive in tomorrow ahead of me. But I think that puts me at an advantage. Makes me feel a bit younger. Because I'm often living in her yesterday. Because I'm still in Friday when she's in Saturday. Of course, maybe there's an advantage in arriving in tomorrow faster and sooner than me. Because tomorrow may prove better than today. But in the end, it probably doesn't really matter. Because I've learned to savor the moment that I'm living in. Doesn't matter what time or day it is. --Jim Broede

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Living almost like a god.

I'm hearing talk that we may put a man on Mars by the year 2035. The same year that I'll turn 100. That gives me more incentive to live to such a ripe age. I want to be around to see this epic-making bit of history. I was around when we put a man on the moon. I'd like to volunteer to go to Mars. Because at age 100, I really won't mind that much if I don't come back. I'd just as soon spend the rest of my life on Mars. I'd find it fascinating. To be the planet's first permanent resident. But then again, I often speculate that the planets in our solar system as well as planets in other galaxies are inhabited by spirits. Yes, the spirits of people who used to live on Earth. In their spirit forms, they are able to roam freely in the entire cosmos. They don't even need an atmosphere in which to thrive. Because a spirit has no physical being. It's an ideal way to explore the vast reaches of creation. Imagine that. Living almost like a god. Able to reach far beyond the planet Earth. --Jim Broede

I love it all.

Now and then, I ponder what life would have been like if I had pursued a full-time career as a sportswriter. Actually, I was a sportswriter for a while. In my younger days. But then I branched out into other topics to write about. Such as politics. And personality features. I thought sports might have been too frivolous. Imagine that. More frivolous than politics. How naive. Of course, I'm entertained by sports events. Maybe sportswriters really are entertainment writers. Also, one might consider sports as a leisure pursuit. And what better way to spend a life? In pursuit of leisure. And fun. Maybe my conscience bothered me. And I wanted a more serious endeavor. But it turns out that life is what one makes of it. Seems to me that I'm in love with life. Period. Doesn't matter whether I'm writing about sports or politics or philosophy or the weather. I love it all. --Jim Broede

Help! I need a computer nerd.

I don't like what I'm doing. Trying to solve technical problems on my computer. I wasn't born to be a technician. I'd rather have a job stoking fires in hell than the overwhelming task of fixing a computer. I have a friend who knows something about computers. He's assisting me. But he's baffled, too. We're both stressed. So many things I like to do. Such as writing. About anything. Even my stressful experiences with computers. It's an outlet. For relieving stress. Talking about it. In writing. I also went for a 7-mile walk tonight. Another way to cope. And I'm telling myself to be a cool cat for the next several days. To not let my computer faze me. To take life in stride. To play it smart. Maybe I can do that. By hiring a computer nerd. To solve my problems. --Jim Broede

I'm in love with brown eyes.

I like to look people in the eyes. Actually, I'm fascinated by eyes. Especially brown eyes. Big round brown eyes. Over the span of my life, I've been attracted more to women with brown eyes rather than blue eyes. Don't know if this is merely coincidence. Or if I see something especially wonderful in brown eyes. On the other hand, I have blue eyes. And I came from a family in which we all had blue eyes. Father. Mother. Brother. Sister. But it's really brown eyes that turn me on. Albeit, my favorite cat Loverboy has a blue eye and a green eye. Some day, I'd like to meet a woman with a blue eye and a brown eye. --Jim Broede

Don't ask me to be a technician.

I'm no technician. Never will be. Maybe it's because of my mental attitude. I get easily frustrated. When I try to fix something. Whether it's a glitch in my computer. Or something gone awry with my car. Or having to assemble a product I've bought unassembled in a box. I have absolutely no mechanical abilities. Oh, I love to probe someone's mind. I'm analytical in that respect. It's important for me to understand what makes a being tick. But please, don't ask me to become a technician. --Jim Broede

We all could use a psychiatrist.

I think the hiring of a team psychiatrist is starting to pay dividends for my Chicago Cubs. Yesterday, the Cubs were losing to Milwaukee 6-3, with two outs in the 8th inning and nobody on base. But by the time the inning had ended, the Cubs had rallied for 4 runs and a 7-6 lead. And then the Cubs closer came in to pitch the 9th inning against the heart of the Milwaukee batting order, and struck out the side. All on swinging strikes. Now that's a Cubs team starting to believe in itself. With confidence. With swagger. You gotta believe that you can win before you begin to win. Yes, we all could use a psychiatrist. A little mental adjustment can go a long way. --Jim Broede

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Seeing everything in a new light.

The two entrance doors to my cocoon have turned green. Vivid Irish green. They were painted today. To add pizazz to the decor. And to resemble many of the colorful doors in Dublin, Ireland's capitol city. I'd like it if Americans followed the Irish tradition. Our doors tend to be blah colors. White. Black. Brown. A dear friend recommended the change. Visitors will be impressed. I certainly am. I'm thinking about putting a chair on my back porch. So I can sit facing the door. And take a gander at the aesthetically pleasing work of art. Used to be I just thought of a door as a door. As nothing special. But my friend has me seeing everything in a new light. --Jim Broede

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

I don't always feel like being nice.

I don't necessarily mind if I offend someone. I try not to. But if it happens, it happens. In some cases, people are too easily offended. They are too thin-skinned. And I'm not gonna pussyfoot around 'em. Let 'em be offended. As for me, I'm not easily offended. In fact, it happens rarely. But when I get pissed, I can get royally pissed. Getting pissed really isn't the same as being offended. I'm pissed when Republicans become obstructionists just for the sake of being obstructionists. Or opposing Barack Obama merely because he's a black man. Yes, for being racists. Really, it's no skin off my back. I'm a white man. So I don't have to endure racial epithets. But I'll come to the defense of a black man. And I won't hesitate to offend a racist. Albeit, that's a hard thing to do. Because many of 'em are too stupid to be offended. They're idiots. Yes, retarded. But it's posssible that they don't even know what the word 'retarded' means. I never get offended if someone calls me a derogatory name. I sort of like it. Because that shows that maybe I've riled 'em. And quite possibly, that was my intention. I've become a master at it. I push people's buttons. I have fun doing it. Maybe that's not nice. But then, in some instances, that's all right. I really don't feel like being nice to a racist. And to many Republicans, too. Because they ain't very nice themselves. --Jim Broede

It ain't fair.

I think American-style health care is a rip-off. The consumer is getting soaked. Paying way more than the actual cost. For instance, I was charged $50 by my clinic for an armband I used to treat my tender elbow. But I found the same band in the local drug store for $8. I assume that the retailer paid only a fraction of $8 for the armband. So did the clinic. But the clinic added an exorbitant profit to the price. I've also read credible reports that certain pills cost the pharmaceutical company only a few pennies to manufacture. Meanwhile, I'm charged several dollars for the pill. Doesn't seem fair. But that's the system. The way the game is played. The health care providers walk away with billions of dollars in profits every year. They pay their executives salaries in the seven figures. Yes, in a capitalist society, the people running the show know how to milk the system for all it's worth. While us poor devils barely make a living. Again, I say it ain't fair. I complain. I write about it. But that won't change the system. Because I'm not in charge. In fact, the vast majority of us aren't in charge. Otherwise, we'd change things. --Jim Broede

So much easier to stay uninvolved.

A train derailed the other day. In the Italian Alps. Near Merano. Nine passengers were killed. It was caused by a mudslide. When a pipe in an irrigation system burst. One of those things. Things happen. But I paid special attention. Because I was there. Less than two years ago. Maybe on the same train. I know the area. And what it looks like. I met people. Italians. Maybe some of those very people were killed. So this all becomes more meaningful for me. Merely because I was there. At one time in my life. I ignore so many things that happen in the world. Yes, so much easier. To never go anywhere. To never become acquainted. To be blind. To stay uninvolved. Unaware. --Jim Broede

Oh, it's so very difficult.

It takes time. To do the right thing. That's the nature of life. We humans instinctively know what's the right thing. But still, we keep doing the wrong things. Rather than change. Just think about how long it took us to get rid of slavery. Generations. Didn't we know that slavery was cruel? And wrong? And indecent? Yet, we went ahead and founded our nation based on a slave economy. We know, too, that capitalism is inherently wrong. Just as wrong as slavery. But still, we persist. We keep doing the wrong thing. Rather than the right thing. Because it's practical. It benefits a few. The powerbrokers. The people who know how to manipulate for their individual benefit. Rather than for the common good. Basically, that's why we held on to slavery for such a long time. It benefited the pocketbooks of slave owners. Yes, those that would exploit an entire race. It was obviously immoral. But still, as a society, we lived with it. We rationalized that it was all right. When obviously we knew it wasn't. Throughout history, we have fashioned societies that institutionalize wrong. Are we so stupid that we don't know it? Oh, we know it. We just don't have the gumption and moral fortitude to do the right thing. --Jim Broede

Monday, April 12, 2010

It's the right thing to do.

Guess who's opposed to redistribution of the wealth? Yes, the wealthy. The terribly wealthy. Many of 'em want to keep everything they have. And they would like more. Yes, that's the problem. The wealthy keep getting wealthier. And the poor head in the other direction. So, how do we fix the problem? First, we begin to recognize that it's immoral to have a society in which the income gap keeps getting wider and wider. Defenders of our present system tell me that many of the poor are lazy. That they don't have the gumption or the know-how to get rich. And that there's nothing inherently wrong with becoming rich. Even at the expense of others. That's where I differ with 'em. I know of many people who have no desire to become rich. Not because they are lazy. But because money isn't the most important thing in their lives. They may settle for a love interest and a walk in the woods and affordable health care and a public education. Which seems reasonable. That doesn't make them lazy. Their values are such that they don't need exorbitant amounts of money to be happy. Just the basic necessities. I don't see anything wrong with that. In my ideal society, the government steps in to see that everyone gets the basics. And to pay for all this, it takes money. Maybe higher taxes on the rich. I admit. That means a redistribution of the nation's wealth. It's the right thing to do. --Jim Broede

A good job for Hilary Clinton.

Yes, I think it would be a good job for Hilary Clinton. Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Her name is being bandied about as a replacement for longtime justice John Paul Stevens. He's gonna retire in September. Of course, Hilary Clinton is doing a superb job as secretary of state. But she'd make an outstanding justice. And she'd most likely lean on the liberal side. And hard as it may seem to believe, Clinton has won respect of several conservative Republican senators while she was serving in the U.S. Senate. Indeed, Clinton is versatile. She could fill several roles. And she has. And done them all well. So, if I'm Barack Obama, I'd nominate Clinton. I also wouldn't have to look very far for her replacement as secretary of state. None other than her husband, Bill Clinton. He's highly-respected in capitols all over the world. --Jim Broede

It all gets a bit confusing.

Maybe I exist only because I am conscious. But then again, maybe I exist even if I'm unconscious. Unaware of my existence. I could have been alive forever. Just like god. But I wasn't aware of it. Because I was unconscious. Unable to think. Maybe I'm always in a state of being born. To a new level of consciousness. Maybe I've been living for a long time with the level of consciousness in my kitty friend, Loverboy. He reasons to a degree. But in what appears to me a severely limited way. More of an instinctive way. More robotic than me. But then, a more intelligent form of life may consider me to be a robot. Just going through motions. But deceiving myself into thinking that I'm an independent thinker. It all gets a bit confusing. --Jim Broede

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The world's worst government.

I'm baffled. Over the fact that we have only two political parties in the USA. The Democrats. And the Republicans. Really, in some ways, it's a one-party system. The capitalists. So few real choices. We Americans often complain about the lack of choices in a communist country. You had to vote communist, or not vote at all. I feel much the same way here. My choice often comes down to bad or worse. The Democrats represent bad. The Republicans worse. Many a time, I've stayed home rather than trek to the polls. Of course, I could vote for a Ralph Nadar. Or even write in my name. But that never does any good. I won't settle for anything less than being a king that rules by divine right. Americans, for the most part, seem satisfied with two choices. Republican or Democrat. Oh, there's a difference. However slight. I'd like to see the emergence of a third party. Or a fourth and fifth and sixth. Ad infinitum. Maybe so that no party gets more than 10 percent of the vote. Then we'd be forced to have coalition governments. With multiple parties banding together to form a majority. That would require lots of give and take. Compromise. A blending. I'm beginning to think that we Americans are plagued with one of the worst governments in the world. Certainly, it will be, if Republicans become the majority again. --Jim Broede

I'd love to manage the Cubs.

It’s time for the Chicago Cubs to call in the team psychiatrist. Yes, they have one. Following my recommendation. I’ve diagnosed the Cubs’ main problem. Too many players that are head cases. They don’t know how to psych themselves. And that especially goes for the middle relief pitchers. The ones that come in to pitch the 7th and 8th innings. When the starter can’t go all the way. The Cubs have lost four of their first six games, three of ‘em by blowing leads in the 8th inning. That’s an awful way to lose games. It’s hard on the team psyche. Robs the team of confidence. One can see it when the middle relief pitchers enter the games. They lack swagger. They look downright scared. Well, a good shrink can do something about that. He has to get the pitchers believing in themselves. And if the psychiatrist doesn’t get the job done, I have another plan. Let’s hire a team hypnotist. To instill the necessary confidence. And if that doesn’t work, I’m available. I’d love to manage the Cubs. And I'll work for nothing. –Jim Broede

On painting pictures. With words.

I’m reading stories by Alex LaGuma. He was born in Cape Town in 1925. So I don’t know if he’s still living. Never heard of him before. He’s a good writer. But not my kind of writer. Because he bedecks his stories with lots of physical description. Of people. And the environment. Very detailed. Like a painter, I suppose. Trying to paint a picture. With words. When I write a story, I’m more focused on thoughts. On what’s going on inside my protagonist. Why is he what he is? I like LaGuma’s use of words. Just by the sound. The flow. The flavor. But I sometimes think his words are wasted. They are too flowery. He doesn’t cut to the chase, so to speak. Still, maybe I have a lot to learn from LaGuma. But I don’t want to be like him. I don’t want to borrow his style. Still, I want to appreciate the way he writes. I want to understand him. Know more about him. What makes him tick. And I’d like to know more about the characters in the story I’m reading. ‘A Walk in the Night.’ I get a sense of what they look like. And I get a sense of the environment in which they live. But I think I come up short knowing the characters in depth. LaGuma worked as a clerk, factory hand, bookkeeper and journalist. Involved in South African politics from an early age, he was arrested for treason with 155 others in 1956 and finally acquitted in 1960. During the State of Emergency following the Sharpeville massacre he was detained for five months. LaGuma left South Africa as a refugee in September 1966, and went to live with his family in exile in London. --Jim Broede

With no beginning. And no end.

I'm not sure what comes first. The chicken or the egg. I suspect that good things happen when I'm in a good frame of mind. But maybe I'm in a good frame of mind because good things happen. Which comes first? I'd like to think that I initiate good things. With a positive attitude. But maybe that's baloney. And things just happen. Doesn't matter whether I'm thinking positively or negatively. Maybe the chicken and the egg always was. Why does something have to come first? I thought I was told in Sunday school that god always was. Maybe I always was, too. With no beginning. And no end. --Jim Broede

Fate. Is it shit or a blessing?

One has to wonder about fate. An explosion in a mine in West Virginia. Leaving 29 miners dead. And in Russia. A contingent of Polish officials. Including Poland's president. Killed when their plane crashes while trying to land in the fog. Bad things happen. Daily. Accidents. Fate. In the case of the Poles, they were returning to a forest where Russians massacred 20,000 Polish prisoners during World War II. It was supposed to be a solemn occasion. To help ease the memory of something horrific. That everyone wishes had never happened. And what happens? Another horrific event. It's as if one horror leads to another horror. If the first hadn't happened 70 years ago, the second wouldn't have happened either. Once again, a case of people being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fate. Makes me wonder. There's good fate. And bad fate. Or maybe it's just plain fate. Some call it shit. Others call it blessing. Doesn't matter, I guess. Things just happen. That's the nature of life. But then again, maybe that first event didn't have to happen. It was man-made. The Russians could have chosen not to kill those prisoners. And then maybe the events that occurred this week would never have happened. Who knows? Strange thing. Fate. --Jim Broede

Saturday, April 10, 2010

If only people were smarter.

There's nothing wrong with government. That is, if it's run right. The problem in a democracy is that we elect many of our government officials. And we are stupid. And therefore, we end up electing stupid people. Now if I were king, I'd appoint only intelligent and well-meaning people to run the show. To make for efficient and compassionate government. Yes, a government that serves the common good. Not that of special interests. The problem, of course, is that I'm not king. And the chances of me ever becoming king are nil. Instead, I'll just be a sideline observer. Powerless. But still, I get great satisfaction. By simply offering my kingly services. If only people were smarter. They'd make me king. --Jim Broede

They would sell their souls.

It takes a special kind of being to run for public office. Particularly at the highest levels. Such as Congress. It takes real effort. But more than anything, it takes money and a fantastic ego. An ego that knows no bounds. Not anyone can run successfully. Because the candidate must learn to play the political game. And to be driven. Mostly by ego. And that is exactly what ruins politics. Modest, dignified people can't make a go of it. They wouldn't even try. Because it's against their nature. So it should be no surprise that politics draws scumbags and people of little redeeming principle. Many of 'em would make good Mafia bosses. In search of power. Control over other people. Of course, I'd like to see an overhaul of the American political system. Or most any political system, for that matter. It's all basically corrupt. Little that those of us that sit on the sidelines can do about it. Even well-intentioned people, such as Barack Obama, are hamstrung once they get into public office. They are overwhelmed by the system. They are caught up in a flow that they can't control. Swept away by the sheer numbers of incompetents in public office. The system has been groomed for idiots to thrive. For the inmates to rule the insane asylum. Even by mentally-disturbed war mongers. I've seen politicians. Up close. It was my job to interview many of 'em. Particularly at the local, county and state levels. And the ones that advanced to the higher levels had gigantic egos. And an unrelenting yearning/quest for power. And celebrity. Politics became their game. They liked it. The cruelty. The conniving. The feeling that they are in roles to manipulate. Nothing sooths their egos more than that. A blending of fame and fortune and power. And no qualms about selling their souls to the devil. --Jim Broede

Friday, April 9, 2010

In the zany world of politics.

They are the two most stupid women I've ever seen or heard. Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann. And they have emerged as the heroines of the far right lunatic fringe of the Republican Party. I'd like to think they don't have a bright future in American politics. But gawd, what do I know? Palin was actually elected governor of Alaska some years ago. An indication that hell finally froze over. Because temperatures in Alaska hover around 50 below zero every winter. And that may have numbed the minds of voters up on the tundra. And Bachmann is my congresswoman. In Minnesota's 6th district. Where the weather also gets cold. But I'm thinking we elected Bachmann just as a joke. Sending the village idiot to represent us in the hallowed halls of Congress. Hopefully, we 6th district voters will get serious this fall, and send Bachmann back to oblivion. But one never knows. In the zany world of politics. --Jim Broede

Let's wage peace. Not war.

Seems to me that Barack Obama's Waterloo may be Afghanistan. It's a war that can't be won. And it's been going on for 9 years. The longest war in American history. And it aint gonna end well. We Americans are fighting to keep a corrupt Karzai government in power. I'd abandon that war in the blink of an eye. Bring the troops home. Enough already. The damn war doesn't make one bit of sense. We are being told that it's being fought to keep the Taliban from ruling the country. So, is the Taliban any worse than Karzai? We're also told that we don't want Afghanistan to become the training ground again for El Qaeda. Give me a break. El Qaeda can train virtually anywhere in the world. Good gawd. We've wasted trillions of dollars and thousands of human lives on needless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The money would have been more wisely spent on domestic programs. Making America a better country. Let's wage peace. Not war. My mood swings from day to day. But right now, I'm feeling the shame of being an American. --Jim Broede

I'd be ashamed of myself.

I really treat most people better in person than in print. Take Republicans, for instance. I have no trouble calling a Republican a scumbag. In print, that is. If I'm face to face with him, I'd be more polite. More accepting. That's because in print I'm attacking his ideas. His perceptions. His inteligence. Rather than his person. But I know that when I'm with a Republican, I'm to treat him courteously. That's the right thing to do. After all, the Republican knows no better. Ignorance is no reason to treat him badly. And if I'm writing to an individual Republican, one I know by name, I tend to be kind. But if the Republican chooses to remain anonymous -- well, then I fire with both barrels. No reason not to. Because I don't know the guy from Adam. Other than that he professes to be a Republican. Heck, I understand. I wouldn't use my real name if I thought like a Republican. I'd be ashamed of myself. --Jim Broede

When really, they are scumbags.

I have a suspicious mind. In that I think the USA is permeated by racists. I suspect that they are hiding within the ranks of the ultra-conservative movement. In such places as the Tea Party. And the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party. Many of 'em take out their venom on Barack Obama. They decry Obamacare. They charge that he's a socialist. And that he wasn't born in the USA. That he's a secret Muslim. But what they detest most is his blackness. They can't stand it that someone from the black race has made it all the way to the political top. To the presidency. They always thought that the White House was appropriately named. It was for whites only. And it galls them that Barack Obama resides there. They see that as un-American. In a sense, their hatred of blacks is equivalent to Hitler's hatred of the Jews. They are livid. They can't stand it. They not only wish for Obama's political defeat, but his death. They'd rejoice if someone killed Obama. Just as they rejoiced over the deaths of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Yes, they are sick people. Bitter. Bitter. Bitter. They want America like it used to be. When the blacks were enslaved. And denied their basic civil and human rights. They want blacks to be recognized and treated as second class citizens. Because that will help racists feel sort of first class. When really, they are scumbags. --Jim Broede

The greatest discovery of my life.

I like to be different. Always have. It never bothered me if I didn't fit in. Yes, even as a youngster. I didn't need to be popular. I didn't need to have many friends. One or two were always sufficient. I liked being a loner. Really, felt comfortable doing things my own way. I didn't always steer the path that my parents put me on. I'd rather find my own way. In so doing, maybe I really do fit in. Because I've learned to accept and appreciate other cultures. I don't have to be pro-American. But that opens the door for me to become sort of a world citizen. I could easily adapt to living elsewhere in the world. In Germany. In Italy. In Scotland. Even in Africa. I'd find it fascinating. That's why I like to travel. And meet people from other cultures. I've become enamored with the ways other people live. Someone told me the other day that she doesn't particualrly like the black culture. As for me, I don't know if I fully like it. But I certainly appreciate it. And maybe that's the same as liking it. For instance, when I go to church, I mostly choose a rather subdued service. Maybe with live baroque music from a string quartet. But hey, I can also enjoy the jubilant gospel hymns and wild sing-songy clapping I hear in a black church. I might not actively join in. But I could be an ardent and appreciative observer. When I went to school, I was initially taught that all things American were good. But then I discovered much of it was bullshit. That I wasn't required to dutifully accept it all. That I could borrow the best from other cultures, too. Come to think of it, other cultures have their share of bullshit, too. And that even I have my own personalized bullshit. My gawd, we're all full of it. Maybe that's the greatest discovery of my lifetime. --Jim Broede

Thursday, April 8, 2010

He's a real cool cat.

My cat, Loverboy, is sunbathing. By the sliding glass doors. In my studio. He's flat on his back. Relaxed as relaxed as a cat can be. Ah, the wonder of a cat. Loverboy teaches me so much. About the pleasures of life. How to take advantage of the every day little things. Such as the sunshine. Cats like to be warm. Very warm. They like to cuddle. They like to snooze. And peek at you from the narrow slits in their eyelids. Eventually, a squirrel will happen by. On the deck just outside the doors. And that will arouse Loverboy. He'll be curious. Intent. Getting up slowly. Because he doesn't want the squirrel to see his movement. And Loverboy will be captivated. Thrilled. After all, he's having a perfect day. Worshipping. The sun. And the fact that he's a real cool cat. Even when he's delightfully warm. --Jim Broede

It really doesn't hurt any more.

I think my Chicago Cubs will be loveable again. Loveable losers. I kind of like that. Because if they become winners and vie for the play-offs, it creates a bit of stress. Tension. Because then every game seems important. But when they lose and drop out of the race relatively early in the baseball season -- well, it's easier to take a loss. Because each loss is more or less meaningless. The Cubs had a good spring training. Winning games that don't count. But the Cubs have reverted to usual form by losing the first two games of the regular season. To Atlanta. The first game, by 16-5. But last night, the Cubs blew a 2-1 lead in the 8th inning and lost, 3-2. So they are 0-2 so far. And quite possibly they may go through the season without having a winning record even once. One thing about the Cubs. they are masters at finding ways to lose games. Some by big sciores. Others by one run. Heartbreakers, so to speak. The Cubs have broken my heart so often that it really doesn't hurt any more. --Jim Broede

With no sense of shame.

I have a feeling that our American Civil War never really ended. We are still at it. A divided nation. The Confederacy has never admitted that it lost. The battles still go on. For states rights. For subjugation of black people. And one still hears cries of secession. Think about it. The history books tell us that the war ended in 1865. But that’s bullshit. The slaves weren’t freed. A new kind of slavery emerged. Yes, the era of Jim Crow. New rules for blacks. They had to live segregated. As second-class citizens. Denied basic civil and human rights. Even to this day. We have Jim Crow. Albeit in modified form. It’s still a racist society. And the old Confederacy is still revered. Romanticized. In places like Virginia. Where the governor has declared April as Confederacy History month. A time to wave the Rebel flag. The governor’s initial proclamation made no mention of a war fought to bring the end to slavery. Instead, it was a heroic battle for states rights. No mention that in the year the war broke out, Virginia alone had 500,000 black people enslaved. My gawd, what’s gonna come next in this crazy world? Maybe the Germans can declare Nazi History month. With no mention of the Holocaust. Let’s all celebrate the past. With no sense of shame. –Jim Broede

It gets confusing at times.

I like to play dumb. Only to discover that I don't have to pretend. Because I actually am dumb. Stupid dumb. I wonder if any of you have discovered that, too. Maybe I'm better off playing smart. I find that's a bit more difficult than playing dumb. But then again, maybe I shouldn't play. Shouldn't pretend anything. And just be. Me. But that could be a problem, too. Maybe I don't know who I am. Yes, that's a distinct possibility. And when I think I'm being me, I'm really not. Oh, gawd, it gets confusing at times, doesn't it? --Jim Broede

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Gonna try to keep an open mind.

I don't quite understand the hostility toward socialism. Here in the USA. It seems as if many Americans deem socialism as an evil. An alien type of economy and politic. Something to be abhored. But hey, there are democratic socialist parties thriving in other countries. Such as France and Sweden. And I don't think of the French or the Swedes as evil. In fact, they seem to be very nice and respectable people. Intelligent, too. Very civil. Likeable. Sensible. Even the socialists. But here, one is roundly criticized for being of a socialist persuasion. Socialized medicine is a dirty word. At least with Republicans. Our public education system and social security are socialist in nature. But they seem to be popular with most Americans. Probably, many don't even think of such programs as socialist. Perhaps that's an indication that we have little understanding of socialism. We equate it with communism. Maybe that's got a bad rap, too. Fidel Castro's brand of communism hasn't been too bad for Cuba. At least it's a country with good health care and educational systems. And I think a majority of Cubans are fairly happy with their form of government. So maybe communism isn't all bad. Any more than capitalism is all good. For the time being, I'm gonna try to keep an open mind. --Jim Broede

My talent: The ability to be happy.

I never had a mid-life crisis. Or so I think. I was always reasonably happy with my marriage. And reasonably happy with my life. Maybe I had a crisis of sort when Jeanne died. Or when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Or somewhere along the Alzheimer's sojourn. But I don't think I ever considered it a bona fide crisis. I knew I had to cope. And I had to help Jeanne cope. Because things like that happen in life. One has to weather the storm. And wait for the sunshine to come out again. And it certainly has. I know of people that have been in crisis. Usually, it seems, because they are in search of happiness. And they feel they are running out of time. So they panic. When really, happiness is right there. In front of them. Because happiness is a state of mind. Rather than a state of being. One can be happy under almost any circumstance. If one truly learns to savor now. The moment. And it's there. To be embraced. To be appreciated. On a daily basis. Day after day. Maybe I'll have a crisis when I'm dying. But I don't worry about it. Because I've learned to live one day at a time. Today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. And I always seem to find a way to be happy. Maybe that's my one talent. The ability to be happy. --Jim Broede

Moments when I'm not full of crap.

I write crap. Lots of it. But that doesn’t bother me. Because I’m also trying to write something better than crap. Of course, often enough, I miss the mark. And it turns out to be crap. But hey, how else does one learn? Other than by putting forth some degree of effort. To elevate the writing to a higher level. I try to make writing easy. When really it isn’t. Maybe I’m lazy. It’s so much easier to produce crap. I’ve received advice from other writers. And usually, it boils down to: Just write. Even if it’s crap. So that’s what I’m doing. My blog. Yes, it’s full of crap. But maybe not totally. Sometimes, one can find a speck of quality in a pile of crap. I write pretty much as I live. Feeling my way. Experimenting. Making mistakes. And then trying to correct the errors of my way and turning them into actual learning experiences. I take crappy situations, and turn ’em into moments of delight. Moments when I feel I’m not full of crap. –Jim Broede

Sounds a bit racist to me.

Maybe the worst kind of racist is the racist that won't admit being a racist. Yes, the lying racist. The one that pretends not to be one. Knowing full well that he/she is a racist, through and through. I think there are lots of people, for instance, that secretly know that they voted against Barack Obama and want him to fail for one reason only. Because he's black. They can't stand the thought that a black man is president of the USA. Some, of course, will openly admit to their feelings. But others hide it. Because it's not politically correct. Many Republicans are racists. It's inbred. But few Republicans will openly admit they are racists. Although it's obvious. The Republicans' southern strategy was based on luring racists into the party. The very people that opposed civil rights legislation in the 1960s. Republicans have a monopoly on the bigots market. Used to be that a racist used the "N" word to describe a black man. But they can't get away with it anymore. At least when it comes to Obama. Instead, they have substituted the word "socialist." Which seems odd. Because Obama has adopted many rather conservative stances espoused by Republicans in the past 20 years. Only thing is, the Republicans abandoned many of these positions. Merely because Obama supports 'em. They think black is evil. That Obama is the anti-Christ. They even doubt that Obama was born in the USA. They say he isn't a legitimate president. They think it tarnishes the image of the USA to have a black man as the titular leader of the so-called free world. After all, that lofty status was supposed to be reserved for a white man only. Sounds a bit racist to me. --Jim Broede

I could easily write a book.

Oh, I love to think. To ponder. I'm able to do it any time. I just do it. Doesn't matter where I am. Or what else I'm doing. I can be raking leaves. Or sitting on the toilet. Doesn't matter. I can ponder any time that I am conscious. And even when I'm not. When I'm more or less in a dream state. Yes, thinking is my favorite pastime. That, and loving. Maybe it's all one and the same. I feel most alive when I have loving thoughts. I could easily write a book. On love. --Jim Broede

It all comes down to love.

My idea of an ideal society has government playing a big part in our lives. Some of us have an innate fear of government. But government can be good. Just as well as bad. And we have it in our power to make government work for the common good. If government goes sour, it’s because we make it so. Unfortunately, some are so distrustful of government that they want virtually no government at all. In other words, leave everything to individual manipulators. To allow people to do as they pretty damn well please. Which I think leads to chaos. Which is a way of life. Just let things happen. And learn to live in a chaotic state. I think we are coming closer and closer to such a condition. Therefore, it’s up to me to organize my little fiefdom. In my cocoon. I must escape into my little niche, my corner of the world. And make the best of it. That’s what I’m doing now. In the wee hours of morning. Making sense of the chaos. I’m at ease. At peace. For the moment, at least. I have tranquility. Serenity. A sense of love. Loving. And being loved. And it doesn’t matter, really, what type of government I’m living under. Even if I’m living in a chaotic world. Because I have the ability to make sense of it all. I find my own meanings. And that gives me stability. I flit back and forth. Between sanity and insanity. Overall, I am crazy. But I’ve invented a good kind of crazy. By isolating myself from the chaos. By cultivating love. Yes, the love of life. The love of another being. –Jim Broede

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

We need politicians with guts.

I don't buy this notion that we need lower taxes. I'm for higher taxes. For most of us. On all but lower income people. We all need to pitch in. To save America. To make America a better place. And the answer isn't by cutting taxes. Let's all toss money into the kitty. Pay more. And call it our contribution to the fund to return America to a position of greatness. For it to happen, we all gotta pitch in. Heck, we have soldiers risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's the ultimate. A life. But with higher taxes we aren't asking for the supreme sacrifice. Instead, only for money. I wish we had politicians with guts. Calling for higher taxes.--Jim Broede

For the story of a meaningful life.

I always liked to write obituaries. Other writers at newspapers often shun such an assignment. They think it's too boring. But I'd occasionally write obituaries about little known people. Not famous. But I think there's a fantastic story behind virtually everyone. If only a writer looks for it. And I found that easy. Merely by talking to someone's acquaintances. I inquire. 'Tell me something,' I say. 'Something memorable. Something funny. Something serious. Something interesting.' And that gives me the building blocks. For the story of a meaningful life. --Jim Broede

Today is very precious.

What do I want out of life? Some degree of happiness, I suppose. And I can be happy in all sorts of ways. Guess I'm happiest when I'm in love. But I didn't discover that until I was in my 30s. And the older I get, the more I discover it. When I was a kid, I really didn't have much concept of love. It was something silly. Rather meaningless. Maybe I was too self-centered to be in love. But then again, when I'm in love, I often profess that I feel like a little boy. Maybe it's that when I was a boy before, I missed something. Maybe I didn't even know I was alive. I was incapable of grasping love. And running with it. Of going with the flow. Now that I'm older, I have more life experience. Time to finally live my boyhood. And I know I'm very much alive and conscious. And I savor each day. Really, I get lost in the day. And think little of yesterday or tomorrow. Because today is very precious. Little wonder. After all, I am in love.--Jim Broede

A comedian's saving grace.

I accept people pretty much as they are. I’m not gonna change ‘em. That I know. So I have to more or less live and let live. Of course, that doesn’t stop me from arguing. Or disagreeing. But not for the purpose of changing anyone. Rather, I just like to argue and disagree. It’s a nice pastime. And often it’s enlightening. And in the process, I might even change my opinion. Yes, I’m willing to learn. But I don’t require others to learn. So maybe I wouldn’t make a good classroom teacher. It’s up to the student to decide whether he/she wants to learn. I’d allow a student to remain stupid – if that’s his/her choice. Same goes for Republicans and racists and idiots in general. It’s not my responsibility to make anyone see the light. Oh, I might poke fun at ‘em. For the sake of a good laugh. In some respects, that’s what I’m doing. Laughing my way through life. I tend to like comedians. They are in a noble profession. Many comedians have had sad lives. But ultimately, they learned to laugh. That often proved to be their saving grace. –Jim Broede

I like to be an annoyance.

I've probably said this before. But I'll say it again. I like it that some people don't like me. I can't think of anything worse than to be liked by everyone. I wear it as a badge of honor when certain people detest me. I really want to be detested by some. Because then I know that I've annoyed 'em. And that was my intention. Some people deserve to be annoyed. I'm thinking particularly of some Republicans. But there are others, too. Such as redneck racists. And pious Christians. They need a bit of chiding. Whiners. I'd welcome their hostility, too. I consider it a successful day if I've annoyed someone. --Jim Broede

Monday, April 5, 2010

Oh, what a fun thought.

One thing I gotta say about life. I'm having fun. Too many people don't have fun. They're too somber. Too serious. I don't like some of the things that go on in the world. Such as idiotic politics. But hey, I accept it. And poke fun at politicians. So many ways to have fun. I even had fun when I was Jeanne's care-giver. In the waning years of her battle with Alzheimer's. Now some would say that's outlandish. But hey, I loved Jeanne. And it was fun exuding good vibes in her presence. And seeing Jeanne light up. And I even had fun watching my Chicago Cubs open the season today. They looked inept. And lost 16-5, their worst opening day loss since 1884. But it was fun, just knowing that another baseball season is underway. And I know the Cubs will win. Eventually. I'm thinking they might go 161-1. And not lose another game. Oh, what a fun thought. --Jim Broede

My superiority makes some smile.

I am condescending. No doubt about it. That's my nature. I like to be condescending. Gives me great satisfaction. When somebody asks me how I am, I often reply, 'Better than you. I'm feeling superior today.' And I really do. But I'm also trying to be funny. And to startle people. With something beyond the routine, ordinary response. Often, it triggers a nice discussion. And some people don't quite know whether I'm kidding. I'd rather keep them guessing. Maybe muttering to themselves when they walk away. But more often than not, they're smiling. --Jim Broede

I like to piss off white folks.

I'm in favor of reparations. Of one kind or another. For black people. For what our nation did to 'em. First, making them slaves. And then freeing them without really freeing them. By establishing Jim Crowism. Which, in essence, denied them their civil and human rights. Even today, there's a modified system of Jim Crow in place. Therefore, I think we owe the blacks reparations. I know America well enough to know that reparations will never occur. Because far too many white folks are unalterably against it. But I still like to advocate and promote reparations. Because it pisses off so many white folks. --Jim Broede

Another sign of a racist society.

Some white folks I know tell me that black folks commit an inordinate number of crimes. But that's really an old wives tale. It ain't true. At least when it comes to drug-related crimes. Statistics show that blacks make up 13 percent of the population in the USA, and that they commit 14 percent of the drug-related offenses. But there's also another interesting statistic. Of the people sentenced to prison for drug-related crimes, 60 percent of 'em are blacks. In other words, whites seem to get off a lot easier. That tells me something. The judicial system is stacked against blacks. Just another sign that we live in a racist society. --Jim Broede

A nice, good kind of crazy.

Yes, I'm a romantic idealist. I believe in fairy tales. In loving relationships. In the impossible. I even believe it's possible to walk on water. If only one sets his mind to it. And truly believes. I guess I don't believe to that extent yet. The walking on water bit. I have an iota of doubt. But I would like to. I would like to believe in god. And in everlasting life. And in a spirit world. I definitely do believe in love. Because I've experienced it twice in my life. And I'm living it now. I believe I am an alive and thinking being. And that's miraculous. Incredible. I believe in life on other planets in this amazing cosmos. I'm on planet Earth. And the fact that we have a planet Earth. That's incredible. And that there's abounding life. Squirrels. Chipmunks. Rabbits. Giraffes. Lions. Zebras. So many forms of life. So many ideas. So many thoughts. So many possibilities. And I'm a part of all this. This wonderful crazy world. Little wonder that I'm crazy. Crazy Jim. In a crazy world. I love it. Because maybe I'll discover that all things are possible. And that maybe some day I'll walk on water. I know no limits. Because I've got the grandest gift, the grandest blessing of all. I know there is such a thing as love. Beyond a doubt. That even surpasses the feat of walking on water. I'm Crazy Jim and I'm getting crazier every day. Maybe you should try going crazy, dear readers. You might like it. It's really better than sanity. I hereby publicly proclaim that I have gone beyond being just a romantic idealist, a liberal, a free-thinker and a lover. I'm also crazy. A nice, good kind of crazy. --Jim Broede