September 12, 2023
November 8, 2022
That Fits So Many People
It's real people every day.
"No nuts, no glory!" ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
That Fits So Many People
August 30, 2022
Madness and The Soul
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Madness and The Soul
February 8, 2022
Don't Be Chicken
Your goose is cooked.
Eat crow.
Proud as a peacock.
An ugly duckling.
The early bird catches the worm.
One flew over the cuckoo's nest.
Kill two birds with one stone.
What's with all the weird bird sayings? ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Don't Be Chicken
August 18, 2021
Y'All Crazy
Y'All Crazy!
The longer I'm around and see the world "in action," the more convinced I am that it's true enough!
Sorry world, I wish it wasn't so. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Y'All Crazy
October 13, 2020
Born or Trained In Crazy
You don't have to be crazy to work here, we'll train you.
Some places they hire the crazies and other they train them to be crazy.
Perhaps, it's a bad culture or some bad applies, but either way they can turn good, caring employees into some more crazies to add to the office's bunch of bananas.
Fortunate is s/he who works in a normal, good workplace and can do "a decent day's work for a decent day's pay." ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Born or Trained In Crazy
October 5, 2020
What Type of Sick Puppy
This was in a woman's clothing/fashion store in the local mall.
There is something really screwed up with people's thinking and our culture.
Even if this lady likes to pet the dog, this is horrible messaging!
We need a serious reset on how to treat women and show them proper respect! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
What Type of Sick Puppy
August 22, 2020
No, It's Not Fort Knox
I don't think I've ever seen this many surveillance cameras in one relatively small room that's not related to national security!
And there were even more cameras around me--they were freakin everywhere.
I get that people are afraid and want security, but seriously over a dozen cameras in the entry/waiting room to see a doctor!
Did someone go a little overboard here?
Maybe they had a bad experience, who knows.
Still, this is beyond dystopian and never a private moment shall one have! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
No, It's Not Fort Knox
November 13, 2019
Weird Face Bag
Not a man and not an animal--it's some sort of beast.
It has a crazy face on it with a gnarly mouth and green bug-eyes.
Is it watching for pickpockets?
Wonder if it bites the hand that tries to go inside the purse.
I can't look at this thing anymore.
Make it go away! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Weird Face Bag
October 27, 2019
You're Driving Me Nuts
Homer is mad as h*ll and has Bart by throat!
Bart is screaming for help.
It so funny how art imitates life.
Where people drive others $%#&^*)* crazy.
And the other person just wants to wring their freakin' neck.
Yeah, this never really happens. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
You're Driving Me Nuts
April 5, 2019
Batsh*t Crazy
They are what is commonly referred to as:
"Batsh*t Crazy!"
Some telltale signs in combination:
- Loud
- Out of control (off the spectrum)
- Exaggerated thinking/delusional
- Feelings of victimhood/paranoia/anger
- Gesturing wildly
- Fingers tightly extended or clenched into fists
- Banging on the table/wall
- Sharpening facial lines
- Clenching of the lips/teeth
- Bugged out/staring eyes
- Dark, hallowed-out eye sockets
- Disheveled hair/clothes
- Unkept/dirty/smelly
- In your face/space
- Potentially violent/dangerous
When you are dealing with batshit crazy...watch out!
You can't reason with them. You can't confront them. You can't evade them.
They have you in their sights.
Scary, right?
BTW, I looked up the derivation of this term:
It come from "there is nothing at all going on upstairs"--such that the bells are no longer ringing in the church tower, and hence the bats are coming to rest there, and they have been there so long that the batsh*t has built up.
There is certainly a lot of batshit from what I can see! ;-)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to geralt)
Batsh*t Crazy
January 13, 2019
Upside Down Bird, Black Sheep--Same Thing
There's always one in every family.Really, it should be there is always one (or two) in every family, group, and organization.
Whether it's the upside down bird or the "black sheep"--I think we call it that person a troublemaker!
Is it the attention they crave?
Is it a good fight or argument they are after?
Are they just different and that's okay.
Listen, we are all the same, but we're also all different.
Imagine being completely the same and how boring that would be.
So being the upside bird isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The other birds may look at this upside down bird as cuckoo.
But the bird may not be a cuckoo bird at all.
He may just be acting himself.
To the upside down bird, he probably thinks of himself as being right side up bird, and that it's the other birds that are the cuckoos.
From my experience, there is being different and then there is being cuckoo for real.
There really are one or more cuckoos just about everywhere you look.
Worse yet, if the other 4 birds are sane, then watch out because you may be the cuckoo bird.
And then there was the movie, "One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest." ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Upside Down Bird, Black Sheep--Same Thing
September 1, 2018
If You Give A Moose A Muffin
If you give a moose a muffin, they will never go away.
What a funny image and thing to say.
But I get the idea that if you keep giving freebies and treats to people, they will just keep coming back for more.
Everyone needs to be taught self-sufficiency to the extent possible.
These days where everyone is some sort of specialists and "subject matter expert," there are very few people who are really self-sufficient and can survive on their own.
Instead, we have a society of people that are mutually dependent (codependent)--and most would starve or freeze to death if they didn't have someone else supplying the "muffins."
This all reminds me of a funny story when I was a kid, where a crazy lady friend of my parents came over to their house when my parents were sitting shiva (in mourning after the loss of one of my grandparents).
This crazy lady actually laid down on their living room couch so the other people coming to pay their respects couldn't, and then she wouldn't leave--hint after hint, she just laid there sprawled on their couch.
Finally, my dad got up from his mourning, fed her some food, and actually gave her some money--literally to leave--which she finally did and not to be mean, but really as a relief to everyone.
In this case, my dad gave the moose a muffin to go away and it worked, thank G-d.
But as is with moose's, I am pretty sure she came back another day for more muffins. ;-)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to OpenClipart-Vectors)
If You Give A Moose A Muffin
February 7, 2018
Cross The Street
"When you see crazy coming, cross the street!"
I remember learning similarly from experts that the first lesson in self defense is always:
"If you can run, run!"
That doesn't mean your not strong or courageous.
It's just common sense to try to avoid trouble if you can.
When people seriously fight, both usually can end up with a black eye or worse.
And there are truly a lot of crazies out there.
Peace is always desired.
But strength (and preparedness) is always required.
This makes sense as well in the larger context of the USA upgrading it's nuke arsenal and other weapons systems and platforms to deter enemy aggression.
Thus, peace through strength and of course, prayer! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Cross The Street
October 30, 2016
What Do We Fear More?
It's a holiday to remember those that have passed.
In modern times, it has become a holiday of ghosts and ghouls, spooky and scary.
People dress up often in ghastly costumes, party hearty, and go door to door, trick or treat.
With fright night, I ask myself, are we more afraid of what we don't understand from the spirit world or perhaps of what do understand from people in this life?
Certainly, the supernatural and the spirits--elements of what's awaiting for us on the other side are things we don't really have tangible experience with or understand...we are afraid of the unknown.
But in this world, we are familiar and encounter bad people and deeds, and unfortunately have to deal with them, but it never becomes easier or less scary to confront these.
Sure, we understand that not everyone is good, and not everyone has the best impulse control--people do rotten, horrible things for selfishness and greed or simply because they can't stop themselves.
How scary is it to run into and have to deal with people that can and will do almost anything--maybe without a conscious thought or remorse for doing wrong...perhaps, they might even enjoy hurting others, taking what doesn't belong to them, forcing their will or themselves on others, and doing unthinkable acts of crazed violence and evil.
We are definitely afraid of people like this...they are out of control, and don't add up for those of us who think in terms of a soul, conscience, an everyday moral compass, and a seeing and hearing L-rd above
So life is scary, but death awaits us all as well.
And as my dad used to say, no one has ever come back to tell us what happens over there.
He had the most faith of anyone I know, and I understand we are supposed to have faith that we are going to a better place, but like coming out of the mother's womb into this world, when we die, we are coming out into a whole new place altogether.
New things are scary and going from the physical world to the spiritual one, I assume can also be a little earth shattering--where exactly are we going and how will we be judged when we get there?
Of course, I hope that I will be with my family and with G-d and bask in his eternal light.
Thus for me, I find myself less scared of ghosts and metaphysical things, but the evil that people can bring, behind ghoulish smiles and with hidden agendas, telling lies and fooling us of their evil intent, that is scarier than any ghost or goblin, any time of year on Earth or beyond. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
What Do We Fear More?
March 19, 2016
Bricks And Chips
Bricks And Chips
July 15, 2015
The World's Most Dangerous Game Of Chicken
Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal does a nice job explaining in simple terms why Iran can't be allowed to get the bomb--not now and not in 10-15 years.
Iran is not playing by the same rules as the West!
And like when playing chicken, the one who is the chicken and tries to simply avoid confrontation through appeasement and concessions--they end up driving off the road and are the losers.
And one who is the hawk--willing to not only keep on pursuing their goals, but also to actually either use it or to stop it's use by any and all means--chances to be the winner.
However, the problem with nukes is that when someone is crazy enough to actually use them, then millions of decent, peaceful-loving people are the real losers.
And like with Hitler (may his name be cursed) who made known in "Mein Kampf" his crazed ambitions for world domination and blatantly murdered millions...
Iran, the world's leading state-sponsor of terrorism and human rights offender today, continues to boldly chant "Death to America" and threatens to "annihilate" the State of Israel, while pursuing nukes, ballistic missiles, and a Shiite Caliphate.
This is perhaps the world's most dangerous "game" of chicken, and the cost of being wrong, never higher.
The World's Most Dangerous Game Of Chicken
May 22, 2015
Can You Just Stop And Think?
What do I mean?
Be alone, do nothing, and just take the time to be with yourself and think.
--without your smartphone, television, music, game, or even a book.
Just you, the four walls, and your brain...thinking, thinking, thinking.
Feeling a little jittery, scared yet.
Why are people afraid to stop and think?
Is it because within the thinking is some craziness, fear, anxiety, and even remorse?
Are there overwhelming feelings and thoughts about issues, events, people, and places that are unresolved and painful.
Also, by ourselves and in our thoughts, we can realize how weak, vulnerable, and mortal we are.
If we are here in our own heads, maybe no one will even notice we are gone or maybe no one will even miss us--maybe they'll replace us?
We're so easily ditched, replaceable, just another character in a long cast of characters.
When we stop and think, do we worry about all the other things we're not doing or getting done...perhaps, we don't have the time to think, because we need to be doing, doing, doing.
And if we're not moving forward doing something, then we are being left behind!
But doesn't thinking lead to more purposeful doing?
A little upfront thinking and planning, maybe can save you some serious time wasted just acting out.
Somehow, like a prisoner in isolation though too much alone time with your own thoughts is enough to drive anyone crazy, docile, and ready to behave just to get out, interact with other human beings, and doing something.
We need to stay active, not be bored, so we don't think too much.
When I was in the hospital recently, one orderly named Kelvin, saw me sitting there by myself thinking, and he said to me, "Oh no, you don't want to have too much time to think. Block those thoughts out of your mind. Why don't you watch some TV?"
Smart Kelvin. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Can You Just Stop And Think?
May 13, 2015
How Many Issues Do You Have?
It says, "More Issues Than Vogue."
So I was curious how many issues of Vogue have there been...
And I learned that they have published this fashion, beauty, and culture magazine since 1892--more than 120 years!
And in the Vogue archive, they claim to have "more than 400,000 pages in full color."
I suppose even some of the biggest nuts out there rarely have more "issues" (and pages)...although maybe many would certainly come close.
But Vogue wins! ;-)
How Many Issues Do You Have?
March 17, 2015
Everyday, A Catch-22
Catch-22 was made famous in the book of the said name by Joseph Heller.
Essentially a Catch-22 is an unsolvable problem.
In the book for example, military servicemen in WWII can apply for a discharge if they are verifiably crazy, but the sheer act of applying for a discharge shows you are not crazy.
Other examples of a Catch-22 are locking your keys in the car and you can't unlock the door to get them or losing your glasses but now you can't look for them.
In life, it seems like we are constantly facing Catch-22's, however not solving them is not an option...we must come up with a workable solution.
At work and in school, we compete to get ahead, yet we must team, cooperate, and collaborate with those very same folks that we are competing with.
At home with children, we need to teach our children often difficult lessons of right and wrong, patience, discipline, and safety, even while we have overflowing feelings of love for them and just want to hug them and give in to them.
With spouses, as our love and lives build over the years, we grow together and become ever more interdependent on our partners, yet we need to maintain some healthy independence and self at the same time.
With career, are we advance ourselves so that we can provide well for our families, we must balance work-life, so that we aren't just bringing home a paycheck, but are actually emotionally there for our loved ones.
The list of life's conundrums goes on and on, but rather than throw up our hands in defeat, we have to fight on and come up with solutions that are best fit to the challenges we face...there is no discharge just because you feel crazed or need to confront something hard...you need to solve the dilema and then you can go home. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Everyday, A Catch-22