The Emerald Rose

   First a Merry Christmas to all of you and a big THANK YOU for following my blog, some since 2005 when I began it and some just recently. A blog is a way of just “putting it out there” with no real retribution or penalties if you are careful about who you let read you. Over the years I have followed many blogs and some have been discovered, read and put forth by “ex’s”, “scorned lovers” insecure folks, and in a few rare cases just complete “whack jobs”. This is truly a really pure biblical environment as long as everyone remembers two basic rules, “Judge not lest ye be judged” (the Biblical reference) and “Do no evil to man”, Issac Assimov’s prime directive for robots. But alas not everyone plays br the same rules.

       Now I have made some dear friends, though many of them don’t even know it. And I’ve been able to see things through many, many different set of eyes. (That is a real wake-up call in some cases.) From single moms struggling just to keep going and handling their responsibilities despite the pain, the hurt, and the lack of enough money to live as nicely as they would like for their child, or children. To the “shameless slut” who has gone on to become a very wealthy author. (And incidentally is a graduate of Cambridge University) From a waiter who just needed to tell us about the trials and tribulations of his job who also rose to a million copy best selling author, now working on his second book.

        To the really sweet girl from “down under” who has a heart of gold, and a real capacity for love, but is still on the road of life and trying to make sense of it. To a mom who loves her kids, has been few a few struggles but stays focused on her deep core belief, and a gain a love of her family. From tattooed folks I’d not think twice about passing in the street because of my “judgements” who have the capacity to become really great philosophers and psychologists. From “closet bloggers” who you should not mess with if you meet them in the street, but have to be a “boiler plate badass” because they have not learned to live with their “inner being”.

        I could probably go on, but it just amazes me. One of my blogger friends is a former U.S. Navy sailor, (like myself) and I love when he waxes and wanes about “the old days” as I to can share all of those sights and sounds and the deep impact they had on the rest of my life that is virtually impossible to explain to anyone who has not, “been there, done that, and got the Tee shirt”. Some dear friends whom I DO know who have dropped pretense, dropped political correctness and have found a real life that they love living now and would never give up today, despite still struggling to just “be” in a world gone mad.

        Bloggers come in all shapes, colors, sizes, belief systems, and cultures, that’s what makes being a blogger and following blogs a truly rewarding thing. Now granted some folks say “stop wasting your time, it doesn’t mean anything, just someone dropping their thoughts in a computer for anyone to she, it’s not real.” I beg to differ, sure there are some who are “a useless piece of skin”, but like anything else the cream floats to the top, and we are all equal and unique human beings. And guess what, I find most of them far more real than the folks I know “flesh and blood” that I deal with every day.

        Christmas day does that to me, I get to slow down, think, and this year particularly just be very glad I’m still here to write to you. (I have determination and fight, trust me.) Afterall,  I had all those taxes and crap deducted from my payrolls over the past fifty years and I ain’t leaving the table” until I break even with the government, in about another twenty years by my calculations.  Doubt me? Well I figured I just wound up doing it to Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance this year alone and we are “even” after fifty years of paying into the insurance, even at this years ridiculous price of $2,200 a month! Don’t mess with the big dog,…..I can get ugly!

         Well I know I promised you a “humdinger” of a “500th blog”, but unfortunately I have been slacking since getting my own business up and going and getting up to five miles a day in exercising,…yup, that’s five sweaty, breathing hard miles, but I still haven’t reached my personal goals yet.

         I’ve also had to put the book on hold for a while, but I have a good solid ten chapters in on it, and mentally still working out the next “section” of it before I start “writing”.

         Speaking of “writing” I am currently reading a GREAT book, which I recommend to anyone over the age of 16 and up to 85, it’s that good and relevant to life today (that means you too, “too tall”!) I think it may clear some of my own “fog” as well as everyone else walking , talking, and stressing out (I think that covers most of the population of the world). The book is titled “7 , The number for Happiness, Love, and Success” by Jacqueline Leo, the publisher is “12”.

        I would be very interested in anyones comments after reading it.

        Well got to run having a friend over for Christmas Dinner (the wife makes GREAt Polish food,…….. and I’m drooling on the damn keyboard again!

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