The Sound of Crickets Chirping

Or the sound of darts thudding into a board whilst playing cricket.

I'll take the second. The first tends to keep me awake when I desparately wish to sleep.

I recently mounted a dartboard cabinet on one of the walls at the house. This cabinet has the doors that open with scorekeeping boards on the inside of the doors, along with a place to store the darts.

Contrary to the naysayers, after playing four full games of cricket, only three darts have hit the wall instead of the board, and one of those was a ricochet that hit a side wall.

As it stands, I'm three-games-to-one against the fifteen year-old, and one of those was an amazing come-from-behind or else it would be even at 2-2.

Never argue with a moron...

... they'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Those living in the Houston-area have, by now, heard about the large apartment-complex fire in Channelview. The Houston Chronicle has done a good job of covering the fire and the resulting investigation.

However, the Chronicle allows comments on their stories. There's this one moron that claims the fire destroyed so much because the fire departments were volunteer and "just watched in burn" and that "this would've never happened in Houston."

What a crock of $h!t!!!!!!!!

As the Assistant Chief of a volunteer fire department, this just infuriates me, the assumption that volunteers are inferior to the paid departments. Many volunteers have the same training and certifications as their paid counterparts, yet they don't do it for the money. They give their time and effort, often putting their lives on the line, for free.

And while many, many people recognize this sacrifices, there are the morons that would rather stab volunteers in the back when they deserve a pat on the back.

Like Bill Engvall says, "You just can't fix stupid."

Talking to Psychos

I had a conversation with my favorite psychologist the other day about all of the drama that has been created in these parts. I had to cackle at her "professional" diagnosis of what was going on and those that were involved.

For those who think psychologists are quacks, it was amazing the insights she gave me into people's actions. She described to the letter everything that was going on. Talking with her was refreshing and confirmed my own take on the whole situation. When someone who is miles away and a very impartial third-party can describe the actions of certain people without prompting, it seems that it is a textbook diagnosis.

So I can rest easy knowing that I'm not the only one who thinks the world is crazy.

The Week in Review

I've spent the last week at Texas A&M University for the annual fire school, being bored out of my mind. That's not to say I haven't learned anything, but being stuck in class for eight hours is not my idea of fun.

I did manage to finish the last book in the Harry Potter series. Great ending, very fitting.

So, I've got one more day here in College Station before I get to go home and relax.

Cuss-tomer (dis)Service Revisisted

Clue by four to ALL retailers:

DO NOT PUT YOUR SLOWEST FRAKING CHECKER IN THE "10 (or 15 or 20) ITEMS OR LESS LESS LANE!!!!

It is supposed to be the "Speedy" or "Quick" or WTF ever lane.

Dammit, get with the program.

The So-Called Experts

Experts are those that know everything there is to know in a chosen field.

Yet, they tell us we learn from our mistakes.

So, does that mean that experts have simply learned everything from their mistakes?

Therefore, experts are nothing more than monumental failures.

Preaching from a Moral Swamp

I recently read a very interesting article about alcoholism and alcoholics. The article was not just about alcoholics, but dealt with anyone that had an addictive personality and how they dealt with those around them.

One of the ways that someone with an addictive personality will deal with their condition is by finding another person whose character is beyond reproach, someone with high moral and ethical standards, and then do everything they can to tear this person down. That way the addictive personality can feel better about themselves.

The basic thought proces of the addictive personality is that if the person with the high moral standards can fail, then they, the addictive personality, aren't as bad as everyone else must think. It gives the addictive personality justification for their actions.

So instead of dealing with their own problems, they create problems for others.

"That which we obtain too easily..."

"... we esteem too lightly." -- Thomas Paine

Truer words could not be spoken. In today's world of instant gratification and fast, loose relationships, it seems we have lost our appreciation for the things that really matter.

The Bible tells us that, "...the laborer is worthy of his reward," adding weight to Paine's thoughts. If we wish to gain a great reward, we must put forth great labor to achieve it.

Unfortunately, there are those that, in today's ADD world, have neither the motivation nor fortitude to even make the necessary attempt at something that would even seem to be difficult.

Then there are those naysayers that would discourage the laborer, or worse, those that actively resist their efforts.

I wonder what their reward shall be?

Up(land) a Creek without a paddle....

Need I say more?

Maybe I should pay a visit and have a brief tryst for old times sake. I mean, come on, we were dating for so long, right?

Maybe a prophetic quote from the book of Dan(iel), "Cut down the tree and trim off its branches..."

I will play the role of the lumberjack, the tree is coming down, I won't even bother with the branches.

Putting your head in the noose...

Hmmmm...

There are those that think they are being so sophisticated and smart, yet they really don't understand that in the age of the Internet, everything is out there for public viewing.

I read a book recently that had the following line, "If your word is worthless, so are you."

Truer words could not be spoken.

Seems there is an abundance of worthless people in this world.

Pulling my head out of the noose

How does one let things get so complicated? Is a condemnation of the world that we live in that we allow fear and intimidation dictate the way we live our lives?

I, for one, am tired of it all. When fear immobilizes our actions and clouds our judgement, then fear and the fearmongers have won.

I'm tired of being afraid...