Channeling Andy Rooney....

Andy Rooney was a commentator on 60 Minutes, a television news show.  In his later years, he was most famous for his little observations in the show's final minute or two.  He served as a US Army reporter during World War Two, even winning a Bronze Star.  I had a few observations of things, and it immediately made me think of Rooney's minute.

• Why do Americans automatically associate a religion with a nation?  Israel is not all Jews, Iran is not all Shia, and the US itself is a polyglot of beliefs.
• The US has never won a counter-insurgency, so why do we constantly provoke the need to fight a type of conflict we can't win?
• Those who would have peace should prepare for war.  The saying says prepare, not start.
• Jimi was right--there will only be peace when the power of love surpasses the love of power.
• Why do conservatives claim Jesus as one of them?  Have they read the Bible?  Jesus disliked the greedy and rich, he cared for the poor and the weak.  If he was alive today, Jesus would be a Democrat.
• Why do politicians who have never been in a classroom know better than teachers how to run a classroom?  Since government makes a hash of most things--do we really want it increasing in teaching?
• If teachers get paid so much for such a great job--why is there a shortage of teachers?  Great pay, no work...you'd think people would be lining up for teaching.  Hmmmm....
• Ever notice how administrators always want to cut costs by cutting the salaries of staff, faculty, coaches, etc, but very few administrators think it's good to cut their own salaries?  Chop a teacher's salary 30% and you save $10,000.  Chop a Dean or VP's salary--save yourself $50,000...enough to hire another teacher, too.
• Only one university in the US cut it's administrator:faculty ratio from 2000-2015.  Curious that it's in a state that hasn't seen a tuition increase in four years, either, for any of its state schools.
• Why do people complain about doctor competence, yet when the physician says 'Take this for 10 days', they stop after six...then get surprised when the same illness returns and is more resistant to the medication?
• Men and women were not meant to run naked.  Really.
• Former Confederate States of America states all demand less government spending, yet get more than the national average and don't see a problem with that.
• When Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater can't pass your 'litmus tests' for being a true conservative, your political party has a problem.
• When JFK and LBJ are 'too conservative' to be true Democrats--your party has a political problem.
• I wish Al Sharpton would spend more time paying his taxes than ramping up hate and rage.
• Politics today are much more polite than they used to be.  Once upon a time, Thomas Jefferson insinuated John Adams was a pedophile.  Ahh, the good old days of the noble Founding Fathers!
• Speaking of Founding Fathers--I wonder if any Senators or Representatives have actually read what they wrote, things like their belief in helping the poor, or not meddling in every day affairs....or maybe wanting to avoid political dynasties? 
• You know, if you purchased one of my novels, you could help me not pay taxes like Sharpton.  Have you read one of my books?  Well, you should.
• Why do administrators think equal rights means hiring people based on their gender?  Isn't equal rights about hiring based on ability and ignoring gender? (Don't actually mention this to most college athletic directors...really.)
• If states want to improve student abilities--rather than look at lots of standardized tests, why don't we not let kids use calculators on math problems in 3rd grade?  Maybe we could have reading time every day--and homework, too?
• I like watching athletes with skill and work ethic regardless of sport.
• Adults wonder why fewer kids play sports.  Maybe the fact that travel teams now exist for 4-yr olds has something to do with that?  Let kids be kids and not play only a single sport.  Step back--let them play.
• I wish I could've had a fastball to match the curve I can throw.  My elbow wishes I didn't ever try and throw curves.
• I forgot the last time I missed back-to-back serves playing volleyball.  How hard is it to not do that?  I don't know--but I know it's at least nine years now.
• In thirty years, every boy/young man who 'manscaped' will regret it when their children see their pictures.  It'll be like the big hair for many in the 1980s.

The End of Lent

First--you should check out:
http://jimdietz68.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-summary-of-religions-in-140.html

It's pithy, but generally accurate, and an easy way to remember differences.

Anyways, today I'm at a volleyball tournament (what else is knew...) and in my hotel room avoiding the noise for a little longer after suffering the worst migraine I've had in at least five years yesterday.  I'm still physically exhausted from it, but it is gone.  (If you suffer migraines--you understand and I share my sympathy with you as well)

So I decided I'd write a blog.  I've been working on this for the past several weeks...basically the length of Lent, though in the modern sense of the word--I'm not really Christian, but that's a different discussion entirely.  Though I am not a "Christian" as defined by most Americans, that should not suggest that the teachings of Jesus are wrong or worthless--far from it.  They are timeless.  They are awesome to strive for--if impossible for me to ever truly obtain.

So, six weeks ago, I started working on forgiveness and compassion.  For better or worse, throughout life, I've been slow to anger, but once I get there, I hold grudges and struggle to forgive.  I've vowed in my anger that given a chance I'd willingly kill certain other people--all with the intent of making them suffer the pain they inflicted on me.  No--this is not good and typing it, it really makes me look like a jerk.  Of course, some of it is awkward because no one likes to ever consider himself mean, petty, or anything like that. In the end, in our hearts, we all have things like that though.

So, six weeks ago...I realized there are a few people in life that I'd grown to hate, really hate, and I realized--that's not what any of the world's holy books teach, and with the start of Lent, I realized--I need to change.  I've tried and what I've found is, I don't really hate any of those people.  Actually, I pity them, I'm sad for them--that I want to know how they became twisted. 

Why did Person A break up a marriage?  Was the money, the gold-digging, that important?  How does the money bring happiness?

How can Person B serve as a minister/priest of a Christian faith and yet put money before ethics and the teachings of the Bible?  What happened to cause that?  Was it a desire to be loved by those with money, or was it a way to gain influence or status?

How can Person C make false accusations about me--serious enough that I really ought to consider pressing charges of slander?  Is C that twisted?  Her daughter was removed from a team I coach because she skipped practice, skipped a team obligation, and skipped her community service--not to mention skipping a dozen classes?  Does that justify trying to destroy my career or my life?

Here we are now--Easter Weekend.  The point where the stories say Jesus returns to life from the dead (I don't buy that it literally happened that way)--but its point holds true...we are able to gain new life after 'death'--but that holds true with our daily life.  We can succeed after failure, we can suffer the greatest emotional injuries, yet live to fight another day.  We can break down our own personal internal barriers--and we can move on to focus on the good and the better things.

I'm not writing that to say I'm perfect--I'm not.  I'm still struggling with these things, but I think I am in a better place than I was six weeks ago, and I think it's a place I'll be able to stay in emotionally and mentally.  If you read this, try it in your life.  If we all work to be better, then bit by bit, we have the chance to make the world match the ideal held up to us across all faiths.